Massing About, Effects Unknown
by rab147
Summary: Tyler Banks is an average guy, fresh out of college. Then he's mysteriously thrown into the world of Mass Effect and finds himself floundering to survive Eden Prime in 2183. And this is all before crossing paths with renegade Commander Selena Shepard. Not so average anymore, eh? OC/Shepard F
1. The Turn

Hey everyone!

Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect.

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><p>Massing About, Effects Unknown<p>

Chapter 1

The Turn

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><p>Hi there. My name is Tyler Banks, and well, I'm in Mass Effect. Yes, you read that right. Somehow, I'm in the Mass Effect universe. What's so wrong about that, you wonder? I hope you aren't seriously wondering that right now, because <em>e<em>_verything_ is wrong with that.

You see, I was born on March 4th, 1988 on a little planet you may have heard of called Earth. Nothing unusual there, yeah? Shouldn't be. Back then, I was just your average 20-something, even managed to go to college. The student loans were killer though. Ugh, but you don't need to know all those details. Suffice it to say, I had a normal life, or at least normal enough (you know how it is), all the way up until that fated night when it suddenly...wasn't. It all changed from there.

That's where this story begins, and considering I'm presently hurtling through the black of space on a spaceship in the year 2183, you can bet it's going to be a good, if not stressful, one. Oh yes...the stress. That's something I could do without.

But enough of that. It's time to start, and where else better to start than at the beginning of the night my life took the crazy turn that led me to where I am now. That nasty, godforsaken turn.

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><p><em><strong>22:38:17 GMT-5<strong>  
><strong>November 22, 2010<strong>  
><strong>Earth, Sol System<strong>  
><em>

"Hey! What's going on, man?" My friend yells into my ear, slapping me on the back and instantly jolting me out of my daydream.

Blinking, I shake myself a little. I hate it when he does that.

"Nothing, Shane, don't worry about it," my answer comes quickly, as I push him away and turn to face him. "Just thinking."

He watches me for a moment, a skeptical look settling on his face.

"Oh, c'mon Tye!" he tells me over the noise of the crowded pub, not giving up. "You've been quiet all night."

I roll my eyes, glimpsing the group we came to the bar with getting up from the table and chatting with each other as they start for the door.

"What? No, I haven't b-" I start, but stop at the pointed look he's giving me. I relent, my expression turning resigned. "Yeah, you got me. I don't know, I'm not exactly feeling the whole party vibe tonight."

My buddy regards me neutrally, but the glint in his eyes soon turns knowing. "What are ya thinking about now?"

I shrug. "Nothing really."

Shane laughs, shaking his head. "Don't give me that! I know you. I can tell when something is on your mind. So what is it? Tell me it's not about a game or something!"

A hint of a smile slips onto my face despite myself.

A game? Nope. Although I did find it rather funny how Shane still seemed bewildered over my newfound gaming habit. I mean, I always used to enjoy playing Xbox every once in awhile, and in my childhood Nintendo, Sega, and Playstation, but it was only just recently that I'd really gotten back into it. I didn't exactly have much going for me just then, and Xbox had taken up a lot of my free time for the last few months.

Even after I'd explained this to him multiple times, my friend just didn't get it. Really, Shane didn't seem to understand a lot besides drinking and having fun as much as you could. He was a good guy though, and I was glad to have him as a friend. Admittedly, he wasn't the type of person I usually spent my time with, but we'd been hanging out off and on for awhile now. He'd actually been a great friend to me over the last couple years.

Still, he couldn't seem to get over the idea that I was into video games. As I repeatedly told him, I'd been having a blast with my games. Ridiculous curb-stomping on Sera, noob-comboing Covenant Elites, plasmid-slinging my way out of the depths of Rapture, eagle-diving into stacks of hay in the medieval Dark Ages, plundering the Imperial province of Cyrodiil, vault-hopping across the Capital Wasteland, and necromorph-dismembering aboard the USG Ishimura were just some of the things I'd been doing lately. Oh, and of course, I'd done my fair share of mass-relaying through distant galaxies like it's nobody's business, massacring in every way possible geth, collectors, and any other fools that decided to get in my way.

Huh, sounds like I've been pretty busy, doesn't it?

It's not like there was anything better to do. I was fresh out of college and newly single, with only a meager part-time cashier job to tide me over until I got something _real_. I'd searched for six months in the hopes of finding a suitable career, interviewing at too many places to count. Yet, I always seemed to get beat out of getting the job by other interviewees with thicker resumes than mine. Even with a degree, I had no luck whatsoever.

_That_ was actually what I'd been thinking about. Things weren't looking so great for my future, but here I was at a bar with friends like nothing was wrong in the world. Normally, it helped distract me from all my problems. That wasn't the case tonight, apparently, as those worried thoughts were stubbornly clinging to the forefront of my mind.

One of those problems involved the crippling student debt looming over my head. Financially, I didn't have a safety net like some of my friends did, who had parents who could jump in if needed. I was on my own in that regard.

See, I'd been brought up by my father, a good and decent man. He always did right by me, providing everything I needed on just a single parent's salary. My mother was out of the picture - left when I was just four years old. She left Dad to take care of me alone. I'd never really forgiven her for that, even if Dad never spoke ill of her. We don't talk. Hell, I don't even know where she lives now...not that I care. I didn't understand then, and truthfully I still don't understand now. How could a mother leave her own child like that? Anyway, whatever.

Then things got particularly bad when my father passed away three years ago. That was easily the hardest time of my life for so many reasons. I actually considered dropping out of college after that so I could work a full-time job, but ended up deciding I needed to finish. Massive loans be damned, Dad would have wanted me to continue on and graduate. So that's what I did, working part-time to help with living expenses along the way.

Now, however, it was all catching up to me. Repaying all those loans that had piled up while I got my degree was going to be tough without a satisfactory career. I knew one thing at least - if I didn't find anything soon I'd be in major trouble.

A fist bumping my shoulder interrupts my musings and I look up to see Shane raising an eyebrow at me. "Er, Tye? You gonna answer me or what?"

I sheepishly rub my eyes, "Sorry, man. Yeah, I guess I was just thinking about a game, after all."

It's just easier to say that than dropping all my problems on him. Yet, despite my words Shane doesn't look even the slightest bit convinced, which is actually quite shocking. He isn't exactly known for his shrewdness.

"Oh, now I can see right through that one," he chuckles, grabbing my shoulder as he becomes more serious. "I'm not stupid, Tye. Look, I know you're worried about finding a job and whatnot. You just gotta have faith that things will fall into place and you'll find the job you're meant to. I for one know you will - you're the smartest friend I have."

I blink at him in surprise. Shane has never been the type for this kind of talk, so it takes me a second to respond. "Uh, well thanks. That means a lot, but how did you know that's what I was thinking about? I didn't realize you paid that much attention to things like that."

"Yeah, I notice a lot of that stuff with people even if I don't say anything," he reveals smugly, shrugging it off as nothing special. "Don't think I'm getting soft or something though, got that? I'm the manliest man of all the men."

I snort, "Wouldn't dream of it. You're right up there with Chuck Norris and Paul Bunyan."

"Yeah bro, that's me," Shane snickers, before looking over to our group standing by the door. "Now that we've established that, you good? They're waiting for us before hitting the next bar. Come on, what do you say? Drink with us and go crazy, that should take your mind off things!"

I send him an amused look. "Isn't that your answer for everything?"

He smirks and takes the final swig of his beer. "Yeah, pretty much."

The corners of my mouth turn upward a bit and I take a big last gulp of my own, nodding appreciatively. "You're right, that's enough thinking for me tonight. I'm ready."

He lets loose a wild fist pump. "Yes, there we go! Next bar, first round of shots on me!"

I laugh. Always the eager beaver, that one.

"Sounds good," I say, still chuckling.

And it did sound good. Really good.

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><p>Several hours later, I'm home.<p>

I yawn, lazily scratching my stomach. A charming sight, I'm sure, but I don't particularly care too much right then. It's 3:30 a.m., I'm still a little drunk, and I'm alone. My roommate, Bryan, evidently found another bed to sleep in that night. The guy tends to do that a lot, after all, so it's nothing out of the ordinary.

I managed to bum a ride back to my apartment from some old friends we ran into at one of the bars my group visited on our crawl, after shrugging off several ladies that were practically begging me to take them back to my place of course. Okay...so that was a bit of a lie, although I certainly wished I was that much of a playboy. But hey, a man could dream, couldn't he?

I make my way over to the couch in the living room, slumping down onto it with all the grace a mildly inebriated person could be expected to have. As soon as I drop into my seat, I feel a moist nose bump lightly against my leg.

His sniffing reflexively brings a smile to my face. I probably have a bunch of new smells on me after my time at the bars.

"Hey, Jax," I greet softly, reaching down to pet him. "How ya doing, buddy?"

He doesn't answer for obvious reasons. He's a dog, incapable of speaking English or any other human language for that matter, but he is man's best friend if there ever was one.

His full name is technically Ajax, but everyone just calls him Jax. He's still fairly young, not quite 4 years old, and his fur is for the most part all black, except for the white splotches splattered across the underside of his neck and chest. He's actually rather large for a pit bull, I've been told, compared to the average size. That isn't really important, I suppose, but I have to admit that it's always made me proud of the big oaf.

You see, Jax is a pimp. A p-

A pimp who loves to be petted, I'm suddenly reminded when he puts a paw up on my leg after I stop petting him. That's his way of saying, "More, damn it, more!"

I chuckle and give in, continuing my massage of his head, neck, back, and chest until he's finally had enough a short time later and wanders over to his doggy bed at the end of the couch. Maybe I should take the hint, eh? Laying down and sleeping does sound pretty enjoyable right now.

I sit there on the comfy leather piece of furniture for a moment, idle. Should I go bed now, I wonder, or should I do something else for a bit? I end up opting for something else.

Namely, Mass Effect.

I'm tired, sluggishly so, but I don't quite feel ready to pass out just yet. Plus, I've been wanting to start up my third playthrough of the two Mass Effect games, so that I'll be ready for Mass Effect 3 when it comes out. It's going to be my _perfect-do-everything-right-super-Paragon_ playthrough, now that I've played through the games as both Paragon and Renegade Shepard.

Not much later though, I've barely made it past the opening scenes and I realize that it's indeed time for bed. I set the controller down, I'm just too exhausted to play anything seriously.

_Sorry, Shep,_ I mentally apologize. _You'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to kick some geth ass._

Groggily pushing myself up, I tap the power button on my Xbox 360 and hear the annoying telltale _PING_ as it shuts off. For someone who is about to go to sleep, that sound is pretty much equivalent to nails on a chalkboard.

Stumbling back across the room, I halt, weighing my options. It only takes me a split-second to make my decision before I turn around and flop back down on the living room couch. My bedroom is just _too_ far away. The couch is as good as any bed would be in my current state, I reason, perhaps even better.

As I haphazardly hit the soft cushions, it's instantaneous. Despite the fact that one of my legs is just hanging off the edge of the couch and almost hitting the floor, I immediately give in to the wave of relaxation that rolls over me. It feels amazing.

Sighing intently as the feeling settles into complete and utter tranquility, moments later I let myself fade away...

And then I'm awake again.

I raise my head slightly, eyes blearily opening. The darkness tells me it's still nighttime, so I can't have been out that long. But oh...I groan.

The room is spinning, and it's getting worse. I do _not_ like where this is going. I've experienced this many times after nights of reckless alcohol consumption, and all of them have ended in me puking my guts out.

Ugh. Not good.

I try to ignore it at first, hoping beyond hope that I can just get back to sleep. In that instant I recall why I promised myself never to drink this much again. So much for that.

My attempts to disregard my nausea aren't working at all, unfortunately, and all of a sudden I get that feeling you get when it's all coming up and you know you're going to throw up in the next second, but there's nothing you can do to stop it. Definitely not a good feeling.

And then I vomit. Once. Twice. Three times.

I miserably retch several more times after that, but my stomach is empty by that point and nothing is expelled. When I eventually recover, I'm spent. I look down at the mess I've made all over the carpet with more than a hint of disgust. That isn't going to come out very easily, that's for sure. There goes our deposit.

I stand up slowly, seeing Jax laying in his bed, head perked up as he stares at me. Apparently I've woken him up with my bout of violent retching.

"Sorry, boy," I mumble. "Go back to sleep."

And that's when the room abruptly starts shaking. No, seriously, it's actually shaking.

What the...?

Startled, I flail about and try to keep my footing. What the hell is going on?! Is there an earthquake or something?

I have no more time to ponder possibilities as I'm finally swept off my feet, hitting the ground hard with a grunt of pain. Everything is vibrating sporadically now, and there's a loud roaring noise in the background, its origins I have no idea of.

Disoriented, and on my back, the last thing I see before everything goes black is Jax, jumping out of his bed and barking up a storm.

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><p>I hear voices. Two of them. Both male.<p>

"-on't like this."

"What do you mean?"

"What I just said. We need to focus on finding somewhere better to hide. We're too exposed!"

"Why are they doing this? Why are they attacking us!"

"I don't know, son, but - "

"Shh!" A third voice interrupts, this one clearly belonging to a woman. "Grant, Rob, I think he's waking up!"

I shift groggily, my eyes shooting open as I fully awaken. I bring a hand to my face, rubbing my eyes. I feel...odd.

"Tyler!" the feminine voice says. Someone shakes my shoulder. "Can you hear me? Wake up!"

My eyes widen as the memories come flooding back. I...I'd thrown up, and then there was that earthquake. Or something. Then I must have passed out.

Sitting up, I look around...and immediately notice that I'm not in my apartment. I'm not _in_ anywhere, actually. I'm outside somewhere. Laying on the _ground_ of all places!

Coughing, panic rises within me as I take in everything around me. I can see a bunch of people standing around in the background, but there's only three near me. A woman, a man, and a teenager. Those must be the voices I heard as I woke up.

I glance in their direction, not recognizing any of them. In fact, they're wearing some weird clothing that I've never seen before. One is even in what looks like armor for some reason. Their costumes also look curiously futuristic, I decide after a moment of examination, but that just has me further labeling them as strange.

Why are they dressed up? Halloween was last month!

"Tyler?" the lady gently questions, kneeling down next to me. My confused eyes snap over to her. She's older, her black hair in the process of graying. "Are you alright?"

"Erm...I think so. W-Where am I?" I blink. Wait, how does she know my name? I've never met her before, I'm certain of it. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

The woman gives me an uncertain look as my questions come out one after another. The other two also have odd expressions on their faces. "You...You don't know? It's me, Dr. Mariel. Remember?"

My brow creases. "Uh..."

"Wonderful! He's lost his damn mind!" the man says gruffly, he's the one in armor. I shoot him a bewildered look.

"Well, he did hit his head pretty hard," the lady named Mariel muses aloud, holding a hand up to her chin. "When I scanned him earlier it didn't pick up anything physically wrong, but I suppose it's possible he's got some sort of amnesia."

"Amnesia? What?" I ask, now even more confused. What's going on? Where am I? And who are these weird people that are acting like they know me?

They don't say anything, only look between each other, two of them worried while one is clearly just impatient.

Finally, the teen, the one who hasn't spoken to me yet, steps closer and kneels down by the woman. He grabs my shoulders and brings his face close enough to mine that I can see desperation in his brown eyes. I'm a bit too stunned at my present situation to shrug away from the stranger invading my personal space.

"Tye! You know me, don't you?" he says, shaking me slightly. My eyes widen as he lets out a noise of disbelief when I don't respond. "It's me! Robby! Your brother! C'mon, you gotta remember!"

I balk, my face paling. Brother? He is obviously desperate, and believes every word he's saying, but...what? Brother! I don't have a brother. Pretty sure I'd know if I had a brother. What's going on here?

Eyes still wide, I look past his shoulder to the man and woman for help. This kid must be crazy or mistaken or something, surely they know I'm not related to him. I figure they're going to step in any moment now and tell him he isn't making any sense.

But they do no such thing. They just stand there. The woman's expression is pained, as if she finds the scene before her heartbreaking, and the man just has this blank, uncaring expression on his face. How can they just sit there and not intervene? They clearly know this kid, after all.

I swallow, my attention returning to the teenager front of me. His eyes are hopeful, desperately hopeful, but I can see them quickly filling with doubt. I furiously shake my head, scooting away from him a bit.

"I-I'm sorry, but I don't have a brother! I don't know you!"

And just like that, the teenager recoils as if he's been struck. The look on his face makes me want to apologize again at once, but I know that won't really do any good.

He, Robby, stumbles back and sits on the ground, still looking at me as if I've betrayed him somehow. It's not like I don't want to do something to help him, but what the hell am I supposed to do? I'm not his brother! Dr. Mariel rests a hand on the boy's shoulder in a comforting gesture, glancing at me with an indistinguishable emotion in her eyes.

As I'm staring back at her, a hand suddenly smacks me in the back of the head.

"Banks! Get yer shit together!" That same gruff voice barks as I shake away the sting left behind from the smack. Irritated, I turn around to find the older, armored man. Apparently he's moved closer during my distraction.

"Grant!" Dr. Mariel admonishes sharply. "Quit it!"

"Whatever," he replies unconcernedly, before scoffing in disgust. "I don't have time for this! We need to move before those things come back."

With that, he rushes off to speak with some of the other people milling about. My head swivels back to Dr. Mariel as she speaks.

"I'm sorry about that, Tyler," she says mildly, simultaneously patting Robby on the shoulder. "I know you don't know what's going on right now, but please just stay calm. Everything will be explained soon."

There's only a short hesitation on my part before giving her an equally short nod. She seems genuine enough at least.

Satisfied I'm calm, she continues. "You seem to recognize that your name is Tyler, which is good. It could have been worse. Now, dear, can you tell me your full name?"

I nod. "Yeah. Tyler Banks."

My gaze flits over to Robby, a bit surprised to see him no longer looking so upset. He's merely watching curiously now.

"And your middle name?"

"Everett."

Dr. Mariel smiles at me. "Excellent! I'm glad you haven't forgotten that, at least. Just a few more questions. What's the last thing you remember?"

I consider that for a minute, pushing myself to think of what I was doing before I ended up here. "Uh...well, I was at home. There was an earthquake or something. And then I blacked out, I think."

"Hm. Okay. Well then, do you remember how old you are?"

"22."

"Good, good," she mutters, studying me closely. "Do you know why you were laying here, Tyler?"

"No. No, I...I have no idea!" I tell her, suddenly frustrated. How am I supposed to stay calm when I've just woken up in some place that I've never been, with strange people I've never seen before, and with some kid claiming he's my brother? Nothing is making any sense!

"Please, Tyler," she begs softly. "I understand you're confused, but I need you to settle down. Here, let me tell you what I think has happened, okay?"

I gulp, take a deep breath, and nod for her to go on.

"You don't remember this, but you took the brunt of an explosion and knocked your head pretty hard on a rock. You lost consciousness, and well, it looks like you've also lost part of your memory. It would take more extensive questioning to identify just how severe your amnesia is, and I'm afraid we just don't have the time for that right now. But, with many situations like this, it's very possible for the patient to regain their memories over time, so I'm optimistic that you'll be perfectly fine."

I shake my head, closing my eyes as I unsuccessfully try to hold back my growing ire at the situation.

"No. No, that's not possible! I don't have amnesia, I'm sure of it!" I argue, quite certain.

I remember my life, I remember last night drinking at the bars with Shane and the others, and I remember that random earthquake after I vomited. What I don't get is where the fuck I am. All I know is that I don't have fucking _amnesia_!

"Tyler, you might be-"

"No," I cut her off, fuming as I stand up a bit unsteadily. "I don't know any of you. I don't know where I am. I don't know what's going on. I do remember my life though, and neither of you have ever been in it! This isn't amnesia. I just want to know why the hell I woke up this morning here in this field with you circus freaks instead of at my apartment in the city! What kind of sick joke is this?"

I'm breathing heavily by the end of my outburst, and I've attracted the attention of every other person in the small grassy field we're standing in. There are trees and bushes around the oval-shaped area, sort of enclosing it. Hiding these people, I realize in that instant, from something they're scared of. From whoever is attacking them, probably.

It's only then that I actually look down at myself and find that I'm wearing the same brightly-colored clothing as everyone else, except for that guy in the armor. And the odd tight feeling around my left bicep is some kind of hunting knife, the holster wrapped snugly around my upper arm.

The absurdity of seeing that just completely blows my anger away, replacing it with pure shock. What the-

A fist smashes into the side of my face, knocking me to the ground. Grant glares down at me as I hesitantly touch my sore cheek.

"Shut the fuck up, Banks! You want those bastards to find us?" he bellows at me, hypocritically loud I might add. "I don't care if you don't remember a damn thing! Get your sorry ass up and be quiet."

He stalks away, though several people continue staring at me. In pity, I discern after a moment. They're pitying me! What the hell! They think I'm the crazy one, don't they?

This is bullshit! I mean, there's just no way they're right...

Were...were they right, I wonder? I _am_ completely lost as to what's happening right now, after all. But no, that's not right. And I already know I don't have amnesia, I have to stop doubting myself. Nothing is missing in my memories, otherwise I would have felt it, wouldn't I?

I slam my fist into the ground in frustration, ignoring the pain.

I just don't know. Everything is screwed up. Nothing is making any damn sense! And I don't know what to believe. Seriously, my mind is going to break if I keep second-guessing myself like I am now. Dr. Mariel helps me up, unnecessarily guiding me away to the other side of the crowded clearing. It doesn't really make much difference, however, since I can still see some of the other people watching me.

There are bigger things to deal with at the moment than what people think of me though. Such as figuring out whether or not I've gone insane, or if I truly have just hit my head and forgotten everything. I can't really discount either of those entirely, can I?

None of this looks good, but I have to find out what's going on. As soon as possible!

* * *

><p>Brownie points if you can name those games.<p> 


	2. The End Of The World As I Know It

Some things.

Yes, down the road Tyler will be romancing Shepard. Eventually. And yes, he'll try to change things. Of course, who knows if he'll be able to? Also, feel free to blare R.E.M.'s song of a similar name when reading this for added stimulation (if that yo thang!).

Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect.

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

The End Of The World As I Know It

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><p>"We're the only survivors that we know of," Dr. Mariel explains sadly, looking down at her feet. "We can only hope others have made it to safety as well."<p>

"Really? That's terrible," I respond, honestly appalled.

Insisting I do indeed have amnesia, the doctor and another person hiding in the clearing with us, Alexa, have been trying to fill me in on the situation, apparently believing that will have to do for now.

Both of them have professed that they've known me for most of my life. Years ago, I even attended the same preschool as Alexa there, so they claim. Except that I'm fairly sure that isn't right, because I've never seen that girl in my life.

But I've still been listening to them with rapt attention, despite how incredibly unbelievable it all sounds. What makes it worse is that Dr. Mariel and Alexa don't seem like they're being untruthful in any way, which scares me more than I'd like to admit.

After my little freakout before I've made sure to keep a tight lid on my growing distress. The situation I'm in is certainly terrifying, and it's gotten even more so the longer Dr. Mariel and Alexa explain things, but going off the handle isn't going to do me any good. I just need to keep myself together so that I can figure out what's going on, and what happened to me after I passed out last night.

If I have to go along with things to do that, I will.

That's why I haven't countered any more of their outrageous comments, or their continued references to my "brother" Robby. And now that I'm being more open and cooperative, they've thrown a lot of information at me, mostly concerning "the attack."

It came out of nowhere, Alexa said. Evidently they'd just been going about their normal routine of things when it happened. The town was bombarded with little warning, utterly destroying it and killing anyone not lucky enough to have gotten away. Those gathered here in the clearing were the only survivors they knew about.

I had Robby to thank for saving my life, according to Dr. Mariel. As everyone was trying to escape all of the chaos and destruction, several people found my "brother" struggling to carry my unconscious dead weight near the edge of town, and brought the two of us along with them here. That's when I learned that I'm not even in the same city. Instead, I've been informed that we're just outside the town of Trankala, wherever that is. They told me it was a few clicks south of Constant when I still looked confused, but that of course doesn't help me considering I've never heard of it either.

All of this just makes everything that much more unsettling, really. Not only do I have no idea where I am or who I'm with, these people are also under attack. Damn it, how did I even end up here? I've never experienced something like this before. The possibility of all this just being a massive prank did cross my mind at one point, but that idea quickly lost its merit the more I heard from them...all of this is just too complex to be some sort of prank. Besides, nobody I know pranks anybody like this. It's too elaborate.

I almost wish they were lying though, I muse. Then, at least, I wouldn't be right in the middle of some sort of massacre.

"We'd all be dead if Grant hadn't saved us," Alexa admits quietly, subtly glancing over at the man.

"Grant's the only one here with any sort of combat experience," Dr. Mariel hurries to inform me, seeing my questioning gaze. "Well, except for you."

My eyebrows rise hearing this, "Me? I've n-"

A cry erupts from the other side of the clearing, interrupting me. Someone shouts for a doctor.

"Drats," Dr. Mariel murmurs grimly, turning to Alexa. "Can you stay with him, Alexa? I am needed over there."

Alexa nods, and Dr. Mariel bustles off.

"What's she doing?" I ask curiously.

Alexa sighs. "She's going to check over Mr. Silvak, the only other injured person besides you that we had time to take with us. He's not doing too well though."

"Oh," is all I can muster as I look after Dr. Mariel, seeing her leaning over a man laying on the ground. He isn't moving.

When my gaze returns to her, I find her watching me. She's fairly pretty, pale skin tone with shoulder length blond hair and blue eyes. Noticing I've caught her stare, she gives me an uncomfortable smile before glancing away. Hm, must be the whole supposed-amnesiac thing.

"So, who _is_ attacking you?" I inquire, gaining her attention once again. She looks at me oddly, and I blink in realization. "Us, I mean. Who's attacking us?"

Alexa's mouth thins, looking decidedly unsure. "I-I don't know, actually. Everything...it just happened so fast. One minute I was eating lunch, and the next I was running for my life and the town was on fire. They're not human though, whatever they are..."

As she trails off, I almost laugh. Thankfully, I'm able to hold it in, but I still can't stop the doubt from reaching my face. I mean, really? Not human? She doesn't mean what I think she does, does she?

I clear my throat, wondering if I heard that wrong. "Are you...are you saying it was _aliens_ that did this?"

And they think I'm the crazy one! This is messed up.

"Well, yeah, of course!" she adamantly tells me, her confidence surprising me. "Nobody else would do this to us! And I saw them...we all did. They were like robots or something!"

"I-...how-..." I'm just speechless. How do I respond to some girl saying she thinks aliens are invading? I don't know whether to laugh or cry, seeing as how I'm stuck in this clearing with her and these other people who believe it too.

"It's the geth," a voice butts in, its gruffness I recognize. I almost flinch as I turn around and find Grant standing behind me, weary of another smack or punch, but I manage to control that reflex.

"Huh?" I burst out when what he said sinks in, knowing I must have heard _that_ wrong.

At the same time, Alexa looks just as confused. "The geth?" she repeats, disproving my _I-must-have-heard-it-wrong_ theory. "But I thought they only existed beyond the Perseus Veil..."

"Yeah, well now they're here," Grant answers, his tone even. "And it's gotta be because of that damn beacon."

"Beacon?" I mouth as Alexa simultaneously voices it.

"Yes," the man barks, annoyed. "You know, that weird piece o' crap they found a month ago. There ain't no other reason those hunks of metal would come to little ol' Eden Prime, is there?"

As they're carrying on, I gape at them in stunned silence as each bomb drops. Geth? Beacon? Eden Prime? I am...I don't know. Flabbergasted. Yeah, I am flabbergasted.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaim, my mind racing. Now it's official, this has to be some type of joke! I clearly recall all of this stuff from Mass Effect. I'd just played through both ME games twice in the last two months, after all!

Alexa and Grant are both taken aback at my outburst, judging by the way they're looking at me.

"What now, Banks?" Grant finally asks, sending me a withering glare.

Dr. Mariel wanders back over at that moment, her expression curious as she notices the tension.

"Is everything alright?" the doctor wonders, looking back and forth between us.

Grant scoffs. I don't respond, still trying to wrap my head around what they've been saying. My mind is trying valiantly to understand it all, but everything they've been talking about just isn't possible. I'm not seriously on _Eden Prime_ from Mass Effect, am I?

I grunt, even thinking that is ridiculous. This has to be some kind of prank after all. Or maybe I'm dreaming? It just feels so...so real though.

"Tyler, what's wrong? Are you remembering something?" Mariel asks me, giving Grant a dirty look.

I shake my head, my breathing starting to increase.

No, this isn't a dream - it can't be. It's too clear, too real. Plus, if I needed further proof all I need to do is look down at the twinging cut on my arm. You can't feel pain in dreams they always say. Well, the cut is stinging, my cheek is bruised from being punched, and that first smack from Grant is also still a bit sore.

But if this isn't a dream, or a nightmare, then what is it? Are Grant, Alexa, and Dr. Mariel just messing with me by saying all this Mass Effect stuff? They're amazing actors if that's the case.

"Tyler?" she prompts again, stepping up to me and touching my arm.

I jump back from her, shaking my head vigorously.

"No," I mutter shakily, sitting down as my legs suddenly feel weak. "You don't understand. I _don't_ have amnesia. M-Maybe I am crazy though...nothing is making sense!"

"Tyler, please, you've got to stay calm. I know it's hard, but getting worked up won't help anything."

I snort derisively, wiping my eyes as they begin welling up against my will.

"I can't be calm! You don't get it. I remember my life, there's nothing missing in my memories except for what happened after I passed out. I was drunk in my apartment, I remember that, on Earth! And then there was an earthquake! I blacked out after that, but then I woke up here. And now you're saying we're on Eden Prime, which is just a fictional place from a fucking video game! Maybe...I don't know, maybe I died in the real world or something! Or I'm in a coma..."

I let my words trail off, pondering these new developments in the strained silence that follows.

Is that it? There was all that shaking before I passed out, maybe I was killed or injured in that earthquake, and this is just a very elaborate coma dream? I've seen TV shows and movies where that kind of thing happens.

"And now he's just delusional," Grant bitingly comments, disgusted.

"Enough, Grant!" Dr. Mariel snaps. She returns her attention to me. "Tyler, I know for a fact you haven't ever been to Earth. You've been to Sol system while at Norton Academy, yes, but never to Earth itself. You told me so yourself just a couple of days ago."

My brow creases. No, I definitely didn't do that. And what's this about Norton Academy? I have no idea what or where that was, and I certainly never traveled anywhere with that name. Besides, I've also never spoken to the woman before waking up today. Why is she saying I had then?

"I'm not certain where these...these ideas of yours are coming from, Tyler, but you need to realize that here and now _is_ the real world. We _are_ on Eden Prime, you were born here. We are under attack at this very moment. I'm close friends with your mother and I've known you since before you could walk. I've patched you up plenty of times. Please, dear, trust me. Trust us."

My shoulders slump, hearing the pleading desperation behind her words. None of it is _right_, it can't be real, but she's just so passionate about what she's saying that I feel like I _should_ remember what she's talking about. But I don't. No, I've lived on Earth my entire life. The only habitable planet. And if she knew my mother, well then she certainly wouldn't know me because I hadn't seen my mother since I was little.

I bow my head as I try to deal with my swirling thoughts, but it shoots up when I hear a younger male voice that I recognize belongs to Robby.

"Tye, you're my older brother. You've always been there for me," he says tremulously. "I know you don't remember that right now, but I'm here for you too. I _am_ your brother, whether you want to believe it or not!"

"I..." I start, grimacing. "You can't be though...I don't remember you."

He looks at me fiercely, not giving in.

Dr. Mariel coughs softly. "Rob, why don't you tell your brother some things about himself and his life to see if that might jog his memory. There's a chance that could help."

My "brother" nods, taking a seat in front of me. Grant and Alexa have backed off and moved away by this point, but Dr. Mariel stays standing where she is as Robby begins.

"Er, well, you're 4 years older than me," he tells me a little uncertainly at first. As he gets into it, however, he becomes more confident. "We live here in Trankala. You sometimes help me with my homework from Kennedy Prep. That's where I go, and I'm - I was - just about to graduate. And you- well, you didn't go there, but when you graduated from Norton Academy, you came back to Eden Prime for awhile. That was awesome, but later you left again. To explore, you said. Last year you finally came back, to help us with the farm and everything. You told us you'd worked as a mercenary for awhile, and Mom and Dad weren't exactly happy about that. They were just glad you were safe and out of that business now though. And they...well, t-they're dead n-now...but-"

The kid lets out a sob, which soon turns into several more before he can go on. Dr. Mariel shushes him, consolingly rubbing the grieving boy's back. "There, there, Robert. That will do, thank you."

Mariel looks to me questioningly, and I just look back helplessly. Nothing has "jogged my memory" as she thought it might. The doctor's expression becomes grim as she gets the message.

She sighs, patting Robby's back. "We'll sort him out once we're all safe again, alright dear?"

Robby nods, quieting his anguish somewhat as I look on.

Grant suddenly comes running back over to us, his manner agitated. I know something is wrong right away, as does Dr. Mariel it seems, but before either of us can speak the armored man thrusts a pistol into my hands.

I grasp it reflexively, but with more than a little confusion. "What's this f-"

"No time!" he shouts, already moving away. "They've found us, one of the lookouts reported in. They'll be on us any minute and we need to make a stand if we want to have any hope of getting away. Just follow us and kill any geth you see!"

I blanch, staring down at the gun at my hand. I don't know how to use th-

My train of thought stops, my full attention now on the futuristic-looking pistol in my hands. Just like the ones in the Mass Effect games. But that isn't the only reason I'm caught off guard. No, what has really taken me for a loop is how _right_ it feels in my hands. It's _familiar_. It feels like it's just an extension of my own hand, and the feeling is so intense I can't not notice it.

It's obvious that I've used this weapon before. A lot, if I'm as comfortable with it as I feel at the moment. My muscles twitch in anticipation of its use, like they know what's coming. The problem with all of this, however, is that I've only used a couple fire-arms in my lifetime. I went hunting once with my Dad, and I've been paintballing with friends a few times, but that is the extent of my experience with any sort of guns. And I've never felt like _this_ when I did those things.

What the hell?

In the background, I can hear Dr. Mariel telling Grant that she doesn't think giving me a weapon is a good idea in my current state of mind, and Grant replying that they need every available gun against the geth, but I'm not really paying attention to them. I'm still caught up in my own twisting thoughts. I'm still trying to make sense of why I feel like I can use the pistol in my hand. I've never felt this way before...so why do I now? I don't even fully comprehend the fact that I'm being ushered out of the clearing and down a hill by Mariel and Robby until the gunfire starts.

Thrown out of my disturbed thoughts by the jarring cracks of weapons being fired, my gaze sweeps around the area, taking in every detail almost mechanically. I'm clearly very practiced at being aware of my surroundings too, I conclude in further confusion.

Dazed, I'm ducking down in a small trench with Mariel, two women, and three children while the rest of the group is sitting near the top of the hill, shooting their weapons over the top of it. Robby is up there too, I see. Whoever or whatever is attacking - the supposed geth - must be on the other side of the small hill. One of the men shooting suddenly falls back and blood splatters around him. I stare in horror at the guy's limp body as it slowly rolls back down the hillside toward us, eyes wide.

Somehow, this further snaps me out of my stupor and I shake myself. I need to help! These people are being killed.

Jumping up and ignoring Mariel's startled cry, pistol still grasped in my right hand, I hurriedly crawl up the mild slope and settle down next to Grant, who is laying down with his gun just peaking over the hilltop. Mirroring him, I poke my head up over the peak of the hill just enough to get a glimpse of what we're up against. Dropping my head back down, the blood in my veins turns to ice and a heavy weight forms in the bottom of my stomach as my mind reels at what I just saw.

Armored robots...geth! Just like Grant said! And a bunch of them. Moving toward us fast. We're going to be overwhelmed, I think desperately.

"Banks!" Grant barks over the sound of gunfire. "Don't just sit there, SHOOT!"

I push my utter disbelief and terror to the back of my mind and do as he says, realizing I can figure out what the hell is happening when I'm not being shot at by killer robots. Aiming my puny pistol against the army of geth (I can't believe I'm actually calling them that), I take one of them out with a solid shot straight to the head. I'm not sure how I did that so easily, but no complaints here. I shoot another one twice before it goes down.

I keep on taking out as many as I can, and I'm shockingly good at it, but they just don't stop. When one of them is destroyed, another takes its place. The geth are quickly gaining ground and it's only a matter of time before they'll inevitably be upon us. It's hopeless!

"Use your biotics!" Grant yells from his spot beside me, glowing blue as he lifts a group of the geth with just an arm gesture.

I choke in surprise. "B-biotics? What?"

I hear him growl as he fires his assault rifle several more times before turning to me.

"Yes, you imbecile! You don't remember? You're the only other person here with biotic implants!"

He returns to firing his weapon as I attempt to digest that bit of information. I'm a biotic now too? I'm on Eden Prime, geth were attacking, and I was a fucking biotic? I don't know what to think - has my Mass Effect game just completely swallowed me up or something?

Mind snapping back to the task at hand, I poke my head up again and look out at the rapidly approaching geth. Eyes narrowing, I try focusing on what I want to happen to the geth.

_Come on! Throw, damn it! Throw!  
><em>

Unfortunately, nothing happens, except for my head almost getting taken off by a volley of machine gun bullets. Shit.

"Fuck, Banks! Don't tell me you forgot how to use them!" Grant swears in frustration, coming to the correct conclusion.

I cut him a helpless look, which only appears to piss him off more.

"Son of a bitch! You've even got an L3 - it should be easy as cake!" he says angrily, turning away from me as he apparently gives up on me.

I shrug and go back to shooting as many of the robots as I can, pausing without a second thought to keep my pistol from overheating when I feel I need to. In between firing, I continue to try using the biotics I'm supposed to have in a number of different ways, but nothing seems to work.

Several minutes later, as the geth are getting dangerously close, Grant pulls his gun back and rolls away from the top of the hill.

"They're too close! RETREAT!" He bellows harshly at the few of us that haven't been picked off yet. Robby has survived, I'm oddly relieved to see for some reason. Maybe because I talked with him earlier.

We all back away, happy to be putting distance between us and them. Mariel and the others who stayed back join us as we all make a dash for the top of the next hill over.

It's as we are about to reach the peak of the far hill that it all goes to shit. The geth must have gotten over the hill top we'd previously been shooting from before we made it over the next one, because shots are suddenly being fired at us. And then out of the corner of my eye I see something big and blurry shooting directly toward me. I only have enough time to throw up my arms for protection before the rocket explodes into the dirt at my feet.

The next thing I know I'm flying through the air and screaming as I crash into the ground. Hard.

Blackness takes me, but then I'm suddenly aware again. I hear shouts and gunfire, and blearily notice movement and dark figures around me. The blurry figures are running away, I can tell, some are dragging others. I hear more screams, and thumping that sounds almost...robotic. Everything is out of focus though, my ears are ringing, and my head is pounding.

Time passes, but vague awareness gradually comes back to me. I realize I'm on the ground, and my mind furiously tries to figure out what just happened. Groaning at my disorientation, I try lifting myself up with difficulty. After fumbling momentarily, I manage to push myself up and stumble as I look around me, my senses finally returning to somewhat normal.

I see geth disappearing over the top of the far hill, leaving me alone. I hear echoing gun retorts off in the distance, but otherwise its quiet. I stand there weakly for a few seconds, before my attention is drawn to the cratered ground around me. Immediately, I pale at the gruesome sight. So many dead. And I should be too...how? How am I still alive, I wonder? That rocket landed right next to me, it should have ripped me apart like it did them. I see red-stained dirt, a lot of it, and blackened body parts all over the place.

Dropping to my knees, I want to throw up. All these people...they've been blown up! Like...like it's nothing!

I swallow roughly, watery eyes making my vision blurry again. None of them are recognizable, so I have no way of telling who's dead. Not that it would matter though, I muse, seeing as how I don't know any of them apart from those I'd met less than an hour ago.

Yet some of them did survive, I realize as the scene I briefly awoke to suddenly zaps to the front of my thoughts. The figures I was seeing, they were running and pulling anyone they could away. It was them, I sigh in relief. At least some of them got away. I find myself strangely hoping one of them is Robby. And Dr. Mariel and Alexa too.

But they left me. The thought irrationally rams through, and I can't help but feel a bit betrayed.

I mentally berate myself at that.

_Come on, Tye, think about it. That rocket practically hit you and you were down for a good bit, they probably assumed you were dead. Seriously, who wouldn't have been dead after that? And it's not like they could take the time to check, otherwise they'd be dead too. Hell, the geth may have already caught up and killed them by now anyway!_

Trying to brush away the dark turn my thoughts begin to take, I stand up and steady myself. I can't stay here, that's for sure. I have to keep moving, maybe I can catch up to the others and help them out. If they're still alive.

As I crawl up the hillside, my heartbeat starts increasing rapidly. Fuck. It occurs to me that I'm all alone now. Maybe Robby and the others are still alive somewhere on Eden Prime, but right now I'm on my own against all of these geth trying to kill anything and everything, with only a pistol and a knife to defend myself.

This gets me to pause. Did I really just think all of that, in complete and utter seriousness? I still can't believe what's going on. This is real, all of it! The geth, this place, Mass Effect. And it's life or death! Particularly more so the latter, if all the people that just got blown up right next to me is anything to go by. It's almost too much to handle. My adrenaline was already pumping before, but now it's kicked into overdrive as I try to control the rising hysteria within me.

I wearily climb over the hilltop and start down the other side once I confirm its clear. It seems I'm moving through some rolling fields, one sloping hill after another. Who knew Eden Prime had such hilly terrain? I hit the next uphill slope and make it about halfway up, when I hear the loud chattering of gunfire behind me. Whipping around, I cringe as bullets spray the dirt around me.

It's more geth! They're marching over the hill I just came from, a group of about a dozen. I'm not sure where they appeared from, as they weren't anywhere close when I was on that hill only a minute ago, but I have no time to find out as I'm forced to dive to the side of more shots fired in my direction.

Shit, this isn't good, there's no cover! And there's too many of them.

I scamper up the rest of the hill as fast as I can, reaching the top gratefully unscathed. As I lunge over the top, however, I'm hit by several bullets. The impact sends me crashing down the other side in shock. I tumble to a stop a fourth of the way down, and it takes me a moment to realize that I'm not actually in much pain. Scrambling up, I feel my back, but there's no holes or even blood.

Huh? But I know for a fact that I was shot, in multiple places.

My bewilderment is short-lived as I notice the thin blue layer covering my body, slowly fading. I blink in sudden understanding.

_Was that...yeah, that was. Barrier!_

Somehow I'd managed to create a biotic barrier! Instinctively, I guess, after hearing the gunshots. And because of that the bullets didn't connect all the way, that's why I'm not dead and holey right now. And, another revelation smacks me in the face, _that_ must have been how I'd survived the rocket blast.

I look down at my body in awe, as if I've never seen it before. This is just...insane. All of this - it's unreal! How can this b-

More gunfire reminds me that the geth are still there, having by now moved up to the hilltop I just fell down. A spray of bullets connects and knocks me back a few feet, my barrier lighting up against the deadly projectiles. But it's weakening quickly under the rattle of bullets, I notice with a start.

Jumping into action, I pull up my pistol and fire a couple rounds at the group before sprinting up the next hill, trying my best to avoid being hit as much as possible. Still, a few inevitably get me, although thankfully I'm saved by my now shuddering barrier.

There's no hesitation as I dive down the other side when I reach the top, and it comes not a moment too soon. Just as I start rolling sporadically downhill I feel my biotic barrier fade away completely.

_Whew._

That was too close. I reckon those geth probably won't be giving up so easily though. They'll be making their way up that hill in pursuit of me, which unfortunately means there's no time to stop and rest. I'm not sure where I'm going to go either, as I can't see any sign of the others nor do I have any idea of which way they might have gone from here, so I just start running. As fast as I can, in the opposite direction of the robots. Over the next hill, and the next, and the next.

The geth are pretty slow, so I figure it shouldn't be too hard to outrun them. As I run, my chaotic thoughts spiral on. This situation that I've been thrown into is psychotic. All of the crazy things I've learned in the last 60 minutes swirl around in my brain like a hurricane.

To start with the most recent game-changer, the geth are real. And they're attacking me. The pistol I'm holding is clearly not from the 21st century. I've been told that I'm on Eden Prime, which to my knowledge is just a fictional planet in a science fiction video game. Grant also mentioned the beacon that's been found here, which I know to be one of the Prothean beacons from the game, assuming Grant was talking about the same thing.

If none of that is enough, according to Mariel and all those people, I'm not the same person I remember myself to be. They claim I've never been to Earth for one thing. I apparently worked as a mercenary for some time as well. Of course, this was told to me by Robby, my "brother," so who knows if there's any truth to that. Although it would certainly explain my sudden proficiency with the pistol, I suppose.

Still...this is all just fantasy stuff from Mass Effect! It can't be real, can it? Except, I'm experiencing it right now. There's no getting around that.

Once again, I find myself considering the idea that maybe I _have_ died, and this is heaven (although being attacked by robots certainly doesn't seem like something that would happen in heaven). Yeah, not likely. Okay, if not that, then maybe I'm in a coma for some reason. There was an accident or something, and I'm currently actually lying in some hospital somewhere being monitored by a machine.

Dark, but I can't exactly rule it out. And there are other possibilities. What if I've just snapped and gone completely insane? I don't feel insane, but I can't rule that out either. Or you know, while we're at it might as well toss the _my-Mass-Effect-game-has-eaten-me_ theory in the ring too.

Hm. Fuck me.

Whatever the real explanation is, I have no means of confirming it one way or another. Have to say, I'm leaning more toward the coma scenario at the moment, since that seems to be the most realistic, given the choices. Well apart from the one that labels me as a crazy person foaming at the mouth. That one I don't like...and I'd really prefer it not being the one that's happening here, thank you very much.

Whatever is going on though, I've come to a decision. I've just got to go with it - I don't have a choice. Go with the flow and survive. That's what I'm doing.

Coming to that resolution helps to calm me a surprising amount, I soon find. All of that other stuff doesn't matter for the time being. I can't be worrying about everything, I need to just focus on surviving. Yes, be a survivor. Easy enough, right?

I file those musings away for later as I reach the apex of the next rolling hill, gasping for breath as I steady myself against a tree. I've been running for I don't know how long, but it feels like my lungs are going to burst. Glancing back over my shoulder, I peer behind me cautiously. I don't see geth anywhere, and I hope I managed to lose them, but I'm doubtful. Better to be safe than sorry, I decide as I turn forward again.

I begin moving again, this time at more of a jogging pace than an outright running-for-my-life speed like before. It's as I reach the bottom of that hill that I see him. Another human, wearing armor and carrying several guns. He's obviously a soldier of some sort.

I grin in relief at finding someone else, someone who looks capable enough to defend himself. That is, until I see him running straight out into the open, right downwind of a small group of patrolling robot drones. I'm positioned off to the side of where he's facing, and I can tell all the way from here that he's left himself wide open.

The scene leaps out in my mind as something familiar, something I've seen before and something I should recognize, but it's subtle enough that I don't pay that feeling any attention as I dart toward the oblivious soldier.

I'm running when I see the drones take notice of him, and the man lets out a war cry just as I finally make it to him - a split second after they fire. Unable to think of anything better to do in that instant, I don't stop and barrel right into his side, cutting off his cry as I tackle him to the ground and we tumble behind some natural cover.

I hiss as I feel the stinging on my shoulder, a bullet having grazed me. I'm lucky I wasn't hit anywhere else. Should have tried to put up another biotic barrier, I reprimand myself.

The other guy moans, and as we fumble around on the ground, I hear a shout and some gunfire. Then it stops. I finally manage to untangle myself from the man's legs when a shadow passes over me. Gaze shooting upward, I find a pistol in my face, barrel aiming between my eyes.

"Identify yourself," a female voice demands in a no-nonsense tone.

Squinting against the bright sunset behind the two figures, I put up my hands.

"Who are you?" she impatiently repeats when I don't immediately say anything. She didn't really given me much time to answer, sheesh.

"Tyler. Tyler Banks," I hastily reply this time.

The second soldier, clearly male, lowers his weapon. "Uh, Commander, I don't think he's a threat."

"You're right, Lieutenant," the woman says crisply, holstering her pistol. She steps past me as I drop my hands in relief and approaches the man I tackled, who is by now sitting up and rubbing his side. "Corporal Jenkins, didn't you learn anything at the Academy?"

I freeze. I know that name...

The man, Jenkins, shrinks away from the woman slightly. He brings a hand up to the back of his neck, rubbing it sheepishly. "Sorry, Commander. Guess I got a little too excited."

"Don't let it happen again," the Commander bites out, turning away from him. "Alenko!" she snaps. "Give the corporal some medi-gel."

By now, I have a pretty good idea about who these people are. I stare at them, my mouth dry.

"On it, Commander," the second man responds, glancing at me curiously as he moves to do just that.

I swallow when the woman turns back to me, and my heart skips a beat as I realize who I've just run into.


	3. Getting A Foot In The Door

Disclaimer: Don't own Mass Effect.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

Getting A Foot In The Door

* * *

><p>"I'm Commander Shepard of the Systems Alliance Military," she introduces herself, eyeing me suspiciously. "Are you a colonist?"<p>

I close my open jaw with effort.

Shepard. The character I'd played as so many times on my Xbox. Except this one is a woman. I'd never played as the female Shepard before, always having been content with controlling a Shepard of my own gender. It's...strange, seeing her there as if she actually exists and is a real person. Not to mention the fact that I've never even visualized a girl version of Mass Effect's protagonist before. But Shepard is really here, a woman, standing right in front of me.

Again, I...I can't believe it. Just then, the mind numbing disbelief I experienced earlier relapses, before I mercilessly squash it down in favor of regaining rational thought.

Her helmet is still on, so all I can see is part of her face, and not very well. Her eyes easily stand out through her visor though, I notice. They're emerald, sharp and piercing.

Realizing she's still expecting an answer, I fumble momentarily. "Uh...yeah. Yes, I am," I finally get out, knowing I've supposedly grown up there. "From Trankala."

The commander begins to open her mouth, but halts as we hear a surprised grunt.

"Trankala, huh?" Jenkins comments, chuckling good-naturedly. "That's great, I actually lived down in Rodante before I became a Marine!"

"C-cool," I respond uncertainly after a second, hoping he isn't about to ask me something that I should know about. I don't really want to broadcast the fact that I don't know stuff I should, nor the fact that I'm actually from Earth, for obvious reasons.

Especially not to Shepard.

Although I haven't had much time to think about what I'm going to do with myself here apart from just _surviving_, it occurs to me that I could join up with Shepard on the Normandy. If this really is Mass Effect, then I know what's going to happen, assuming things are just like they are in the game. I'd know all of the big events to come, I realize. I know the future and what's going to happen, all the way up through the suicide mission of Mass Effect 2. That has to count for something.

I can help them...help them succeed. It was worth considering.

Yes, joining Shepard would certainly be ideal. Maybe not the best way to survive, I suppose, with all that danger I'll face, but if I'm with her I'll at least be familiar with the stuff around me. I know next to nothing about anything I didn't come across during my time playing the games, so if I don't go with Shepard I'll be completely lost, not to mention by myself, in this universe.

That's when I make up my mind. There's really no other choice here, at least nothing good for me. I have to get them to let me join them somehow, and of course get off of Eden Prime without dying as well.

I reluctantly push away those thoughts as Jenkins speaks again.

"Small galaxy, isn't it? You know, the last time I visited Trankala was about 6 years ago. Were you living there then? Maybe we crossed paths back then, you know?"

I nod hesitantly at the talkative soldier, "Yeah. Yeah, maybe."

Out of my peripheral vision I catch Shepard giving the corporal an unfriendly look, shifting her stance. "If you're done, corporal."

Jenkins blushes behind the visor of his helmet. "Right, Commander. Sorry."

Part of me feels bad for the guy, I can already tell that this Shepard isn't very tolerant of him. Then I remember I want him to shut up so that he doesn't expose my patchy knowledge of Trankala.

_It's probably good the commander spoke up when she did._

Either way, this female Shepard clearly isn't the easy-going type, which leads me to believe that she's likely more Renegade than she is Paragon. How much more of a villain than a hero she is, I'm unsure. I'll have to wait and see, it looks like. Ugh. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"You said your name was Banks?" Shepard returns her attention to me, ignoring the corporal's apology.

"Yeah, Tyler Banks," I nod, as Kaidan and Jenkins move over to the side of their commander.

Kaidan's eyes soon find my bleeding shoulder, "You need some medi-gel for that?"

"Sure," I smile. "Thanks."

The Lieutenant readily gives me some, looking on expectantly. Oh...right. He's waiting for me to put it on. So how exactly do I do this now? Hm. Well, it can't be that hard. After only a slight hesitation, I spread the molasses-like goo over my shoulder. I feel an odd sensation as the medi-gel immediately seals around the small flesh wound, but it's not terribly uncomfortable. Huh.

Shepard waits until I'm done, before jumping in with the questions, her tone abrupt. "Do you know who's responsible for these attacks?"

"Yeah." I send her a hard look, the images of the geth still firmly burned into my mind's eye. My jaw tightens as I remember them trying to kill me. "Geth. It's the geth."

"The geth?" Kaidan echoes doubtfully. "But they haven't been outside the Veil in nearly 200 years."

"It's them," I retort, not able to keep the anger out of my voice. "They killed almost everyone I was with not even an hour ago."

"You're sure it was the geth?" Shepard questions, her eyes narrowing.

I can't tell if she thinks I'm lying or not, but I know she'll find out I'm speaking the truth soon enough.

"Look, you don't have to believe me if you don't want to. I guarantee you'll see them for yourself if you're wandering around like this."

She considers me for a minute, her expression unyielding.

"What else can you tell me about what's going on here?" she finally asks, apparently accepting what I've said for the time being.

I look away from her, suddenly seeing flashes of the burned, scattered remains of the group I was with. Those of them that got away as I was recovering from the rocket...well, I can only hope they're still alive. Swallowing, I shake myself.

"Not much," I eventually answer. I'm not really lying - all I know about the specifics of the attack is what I was told and what I remember from playing the game.

Her eyes demand I continue, so I comply.

"It happened fast," I tell her, recalling Alexa's words. "They'd destroyed the whole town before I knew it and then I was running. I was with a small group of others who'd also gotten away, and we hid for awhile, but they found us. I-I got separated when those things caught up to us not long ago, and I've been on the run ever since. We lost a good portion of the group there, and for all I know the rest of them have been killed too."

The emotion creeping into my voice during the last part is shockingly real. I-...for some reason I feel a real sense of worry when I think about Robby, Dr. Mariel, and Alexa. Even Grant. It's completely stupid, because I've only known them for an hour or two at most, but...I don't know. I can't explain it. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I actually interacted with them, and now they might dead.

Hell if I know. Whatever it is I'm feeling, I don't know exactly. I've never had to deal with such a terrible situation before. All these foreign emotions are weighing me down.

"You're the only survivor?" Kaidan bursts out in shock, glancing over at the commander.

"That he knows of," Shepard cuts in evenly, staring me down.

I bob my head quickly.

"That I know of," I repeat swiftly, my game experience coming in handy as I remember that Ashley and those colonists in the sheds are also still out there. "I bet there are others hiding out like my group did. Maybe they haven't been found yet."

Shepard gives Kaidan a curt nod, not even looking at Jenkins. Her vibrant eyes sweep back to me, pinning me down.

"How come you were separated from the group you were telling us about?" she asks shrewdly. Evidently nothing gets by her.

I shrug, there's no need to tell her anything but the truth here.

"The geth fired on us as we were running away. I got knocked out of commission for a short bit from a blast, and when I fully came to everyone that wasn't dead was gone." The memory of all that is still fresh in my mind. "I remember seeing some people still fleeing though. I have no clue where they went, thought I might be able to catch up with them, but as you can see that hasn't worked out very well."

Shepard takes in my words with a neutral expression, her eyes eventually traveling down to the pistol in my hands. "You know how to use that?"

"Yeah, well enough anyway," I respond casually. "Just ask the geth I've been shooting at. Not that they'll be able to give you an answer."

Kaidan and Jenkins both look interested, but judging by the impassive look Shepard is giving me she's not impressed.

"How many geth have you seen?"

I blow out a breath. "Quite a few, unfortunately. A bunch of them overran my group like I told you, but we picked off as many as we could before that. Otherwise haven't killed that many - I've mostly just been running and gunning, trying to survive over anything else."

"Sounds pretty bad," Kaidan says.

I nod affirmatively, "Oh, it is. Though I expect you can do some real damage now that you're here. You've got armor and everything. Mind if I join up with you guys?"

Shepard looks at me, her eyes unapologetic. "Sorry, but we're only here for one reason, and it's not a rescue op. It's more important than that."

"But shouldn't we stick together?" I try to reason, looking between the three of them. "It's safer for all of us that way."

Shepard remains unfazed. "No, you just stay back. We'll handle it from here. Come on you two, time to move out."

And just like that they've already started walking away when it occurs to me that my window of opportunity is rapidly closing. I hurry after them, deciding it's time to get things rolling.

"Hey, wait! You said you were here for a reason?" I ask loudly, halting them. "What is it? Maybe I can help."

They turn back to face me, Shepard once again giving me an even look. "It's none of your concern."

Inwardly, I roll my eyes. I know the truth already, of course.

"Oh, come on. I could help you," I say, as confidently as possible. "You're here for that beacon, I'm guessing?"

"How do you-" Kaidan starts, before Shepard silences him with a look.

"And why would you guess we're here for that?" the Commander inquires, her tone biting as she scrutinizes me closely.

I smirk. Hook, line, and sinker.

"Well, you're obviously not here because of the attack, since you didn't know anything about it," I explain. "And that beacon is all that the entire colony has been talking about since that research team dug it up, even if it is supposed to be some big secret."

Okay, yes, that's probably an exaggeration. But Grant knew about it, and he was talking about it like it was common knowledge back in the clearing I woke up in, so I couldn't be that far off.

I pick up on the irritation in Shepard's eyes, and I find myself feeling extremely satisfied as I finish. "It seemed like a reasonable assumption that you'd be here for it. Your buddy there just confirmed it for me."

I can tell the Commander doesn't like that I have them figured out. Okay, yeah, better not push my luck any further. I should probably try and get on her good side from now on, I decide, at least if I want that chance at joining them in a more permanent capacity after Eden Prime.

"He does know the area, Commander," Kaidan inputs, coming to my rescue. "Probably better than Jenkins. Maybe we should bring him along."

Jenkins nods, "He's right. I grew up pretty far from here, Commander. I don't know this area very well."

My opinion of the corporal at this juncture is rather low, I won't lie, but after that he's just unwittingly gained back a few points in my book. I perk up as things seem to tip in my favor.

"And surely you can use the extra gun," I add pragmatically. "It's good for me too, because then I'll have you to watch my back as well."

She seems to consider it, but ends up shaking her head. "You'd be more of a hindrance to us than anything else. And securing that beacon is still our priority here. Not escorting survivors."

I look to Kaidan and Jenkins for some more help in persuading her, but they offer up nothing more.

_Great. Thanks, guys._

"I won't get in your way, I swear. I can hold my own," I argue, cursing my luck. A paragon Shepard would have already agreed to let me tag along by now.

Renegade Shepard doesn't look any more convinced than she did a second ago. Sigh. Why does this Shepard have to be so difficult about this?

_Likely because she thinks you're just some colonist she doesn't want to babysit._

That's when I realize that I'm going to have to give her something more if she's going to let me go with them.

"I..I do have some experience," I finally go with vaguely, swallowing as Shepard raises an inquiring eyebrow. "Of the shooting variety. So I promise you won't have to worry about me holding you back or anything."

Admittedly, I'm a bit hesitant about revealing this information for understandable reasons. It wasn't any secret that the Alliance didn't think much of mercs, even ex-mercs weren't trusted. Then again, my apparent mercenary history would likely show up on the inevitable background check that would be done if I did manage to get aboard the Normandy.

"Really?" Shepard responds curiously, eyes narrowing slightly. "Go on."

May as well get it out of the way, I think resignedly. Besides, it'll be better if they hear it from me first rather than find out from some background check.

Her impatience made apparent, I grin sheepishly. "I-...well, okay. I worked as a mercenary for a little while after I graduated. That's all. I don't really like telling people that, because of the reputation that comes with it, you know, but there it is."

The Commander blinks, evidently quite surprised. More than should be expected. Jeez, did I really look that weak and pathetic?

"For which group?"

Which group? Crap, curveball. I hadn't thought of what I'd say to that. Robby didn't tell me that either, he probably didn't even know which one! Shit, shit, shit.

"Um," I begin slowly, trying to stall. Then I'm talking again, pulling words out of wherever I can get them. "I'd rather not say, actually."

Her lips thin, pulling out her gun and pointing it at me. "Which. Group?" she bites out, suddenly glaring at me.

I step back, raising my hands up in a placating fashion. Overreaction much? God.

Gulping, I meet her gaze as steadily as I can. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know you. And I put that stuff in the past for a reason. I'm not that guy anymore."

I _really_ wasn't that guy anymore. They'd probably never know how true that statement actually was.

Shepard keeps the pistol aimed on me for another moment, before re-holstering it to my relief. "Whatever, I don't have time to make you talk anyway," she mutters, annoyed.

"You know where the dig site is?" she asks me, pinning me with a hard look.

My heart jumps. Does...does this mean I'm in? Better make sure first before I start patting myself on the back though.

"Yeah," I reply hastily.

"A turian Spectre is planning on meeting us there, so we need the quickest route."

"Sure," I hurry to assure her. "Yeah, no prob."

Shepard looks me over for another moment, before turning away.

"Fine," she says. "I'll allow it. Just don't get in my way."

I grin. "I won't."

"We'll see," the Commander replies, a doubtful glint in her eyes I can't help but notice. "Now, let's go."


	4. Prime Time

Disclaimer: Own Mass Effect I do not.

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

Prime Time

* * *

><p>"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, ma'am?"<p>

As I knew we would, our group ran into Ashley being attacked by some geth after destroying several more drones.

"I need a status report. Now," Shepard says, wasting no time on pleasantries.

"Oh, man...we were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit," Ashley responds breathlessly, looking between each of us. "We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut our communications. I've been fighting for my life ever since."

"Fighting the geth?" I ask, sending the Commander an I-told-you-so look when she glances back at me.

"I think that's what they are, yeah," Ashley answers, surprised. She cocks her head as she looks to me. "You...look kind of familiar. Have I seen you before?"

I blink, brow creasing. "Uh. Well, yeah maybe. I live in Trankala, so that could be it."

It's possible she's run across me before, I figure, seeing as how I've apparently been living there.

"Yeah, you're right. That's probably it," she nods.

"Where's the rest of your unit?" Shepard asks.

Ashley ducks her head down, meeting Shepard's eyes a second later.

"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others..." she trails off, and starts again. "I think I'm the only one left."

"You just left the rest of your unit behind to die?"

Ashley turns indignant at Shepard's insinuation. "We held our position as long as we could. The geth overwhelmed us!"

Feeling like I should step in before a cat fight can start, I speak up, looking at her apologetically. "Sorry to hear that."

She just gives me a quick nod.

Kaidan shifts his footing. "What I don't get is why the geth are here. After so long behind the Perseus Veil, why are they here now?"

"Maybe they're trying to start a war with us," Jenkins adds in his two cents. "And this is just the first step. Eden Prime is one of our first and most successful colonies, after all."

"True, it's an important colony to humanity," I say mildly. "But there's gotta be more of a reason than that. Besides, if the geth were going to attack any race, it would be the quarians before us, wouldn't it?"

Jenkins shrugs after a moment. "Yeah, you know, I didn't think about that. Makes sense."

"This whole colony is just a bunch of boring farmland anyway," I point out with a glance to Shepard, intent on sharing some of my secondhand knowledge. "As far as I know that beacon is the only special thing about this place, so unless the geth are looking to branch out into the agriculture business, I'll bet that's what they're here for."

"He's right, they must have come for the beacon," Ashley finally interjects. "The dig site is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there."

Shepard takes that in with a curt nod.

"We'll take care of this," she predictably tells Ashley, against bringing her along as she was with me.

Ashley isn't having any of that though. "Let me come with you, ma'am. The geth slaughtered my unit. Give me a chance to get even!"

Once again, like he did before with me, Kaidan speaks up. "We could definitely use the extra firepower, Commander."

Shepard accepts this silently, checking her rifle. "Just don't forget who's in charge."

"Understood, Commander. You give the orders and I'll follow 'em."

"Have you seen a turian Spectre around here?" Shepard inquires after a pause.

Ashley shakes her head. "There aren't any turians on Eden Prime. None that I've ever met. Not sure I'd be able to tell if one was a Spectre, anyway."

"If you saw this guy, you'd know. Carries enough firepower to wipe out a whole platoon. Luckily, he's on our side," Kaidan informs her.

"I think we're already in enough shit as it is," I remark faintly. "If this Spectre guy was against us too, we'd really be in trouble."

"No kidding," Kaidain promptly concurs.

Ashley looks between the four of us. "Sorry. Like I said, no turians."

Shepard's lips thin. "Very well. Move out!"

From there we make our way down to the dig site, taking out the few geth waiting there without trouble. In fact, with Shepard and Ashley leading the group, I only have enough time to aim my gun before every enemy is neutralized. Oddly, I find myself a bit disappointed about that.

Ashley shows us where the beacon is supposed to be, but it isn't there. Huh, what a surprise.

"It must have been moved," Ashley says.

"By who? Our side?" Kaidan wonders. "Or the geth?"

"Who knows?" I put forth thoughtfully. "No way to tell."

Ashely nods, "It's hard to say. Maybe we'll know more after we check out the research camp."

"Let's get moving, then," Shepard shepherds us along. "Banks, Williams, where's the camp?"

"It's just on the top of this ridge. Up the ramps," Ashley states without ado.

When the others look to me for confirmation, I give it to them in the form of a nod. It's not like I know another way to get there anyway.

Just as we start forward, Shepard pauses. Kaidan and Jenkins do too. At my questioning look, Shepard explains. "Just heard from the Spectre, we're to meet him at the spaceport."

We continue up the ramps to top of the ridge, and the edge of the research camp soon comes into view.

"Looks like they hit the camp hard," Ashley comments as we move toward the smoldering remains of the camp.

Jenkins audibly gulps. "Really hard."

"It's a good place for an ambush. Keep your guard up," Kaidan reminds us.

As we draw nearer and nearer, I stay silent, my mind on things yet to come. That's when we see the three spikes, the newly created husks still speared on them. This, I remember from the game, is going to be our first encounter with what the geth do to captured humans.

One of the spikes retracts down, soon followed by the other two.

"Oh god!" Kaidan yells. "They're still alive!"

"What did the geth do to them?" Ashely cries, horror evident in her voice.

I glance over at Jenkins, his revulsion at the scene clearly across his face, and then Shepard, who looks more incensed than anything else. She must still be a little shocked on the inside, I conclude, since she isn't immediately jumping in to shoot them or anything.

"Nothing good," I chime in after a faint pause, already aiming up and firing at the first husk as it detaches itself from the spire's base. I've gotten over my "shock" at the situation faster than the others for understandable reasons, having played through this part in the game multiple times.

My aim is true, just like the first times I used the pistol against the geth, and in several quick head shots the first husk is dead. This seems to spur the others into action, but I've already started in on the second husk, knowing these things could be upon you quicker than you realized.

We all focus our fire on the last one as the second one falls, easily pulverizing it too.

"Clear."

"Wow," I lower my pistol. "What were those things?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Shepard answers, her tone distracted as she looks over at the spire bases.

Jenkins messes with his assault rifle nervously. "Do you...do you think those things used to be people then?"

"Yeah, seems like it," Ashley answers seriously, kneeling down beside one of the spire bases and curiously examining it. "We saw the geth impaling one of the colonists on those spike things before at the dig site, remember? This must be why."

Jenkins gulps. "Oh..."

Shepard walks up ahead a little bit, Kaidan and Jenkins moving behind her as they survey the wreckage quietly. I'm about to follow when I glance back at Ashley only to see her still peering at the geth technology.

"Uh," I start, seeing her reaching out to touch the bottom of the spire she's crouched by. "I don't think doing that's such a good idea. It's probably best if we stay away from that stuff - we don't know what else could happen."

She retracts her hand, looking up at me with a grim smile. "You're right...Banks, was it?"

"Yeah," I tell her, offering her a hand. "Call me Tyler. Or Tye."

"Thanks," she says, as I pull her to her feet. "You're a colonist then, living in Trankala?"

I accept that with a nod, "Right. Grew up here. And you're Williams?"

"Yep, Ashley Williams. Ash works though," Ashley's eyes wander down to the gun in my hands. "You're pretty handy with that pistol for just a colonist, aren't you?"

I shrug, looking down at it. "Yeah, I guess. I've had to use it more out of necessity than anything else. How'd you know?"

"It's obvious you're not Alliance, but you handled yourself well against those things," she answers as we begin walking over to the two sheds, where Shepard and the others are opening the first door.

"Thanks...I think," I respond wryly.

"I wondered why you were traveling with the Commander, but I suppose that explains it."

"Well, luckily I managed to bump into them and ended up tagging along," I tell her. "We're all safer as a group, I'd say."

"Still, I'm surprised she let you," Ash remarks, looking sideways at me. "She didn't even want me to come along at first and I'm a trained soldier."

I snort. "Yeah, I think they mostly let me come along because I know the area. But now they've got you too."

We arrive at the door to the first shed by this point, finding Jenkins and Kaidan rifling through a couple of crates. Shepard appears to interpret my look as questioning.

"We're taking anything of use," she tells us. "Feel free to grab anything you see that might help."

"Right," I respond easily, leaning against the wall by the door. There isn't much of anything in the shed that's useful except what's in the two crates Kaidan and Jenkins are in the process of emptying.

Minutes later we're all gathered in front of the second door, this one locked.

"That door, it's closed," Ashley observes as we approach it. "Security lock's engaged."

"You guys can open it, right?" I ask knowingly.

In response, Shepard turns to Kaidan. "Alenko, can you override it manually?"

"On it, Commander," Kaidan answers, stepping forward.

When he steps back a moment later, the door opens like magic. Shepard walks in first, the rest of us right behind.

"Humans! Thank the Maker!" a woman cries happily as she sees us. There is that crazy guy too, I notice, glancing at him uncertainly.

"Hurry! Close the door!" he urges, lurching forward. "Before they come back!"

"How did you end up in this shed?" Shepard asks, deliberately doing nothing about the still wide open door.

"We hid here during the attack. They must have come here for the beacon," the woman responds, shrugging her shoulders. "Luckily, it wasn't here. It was moved to the spaceport earlier this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to pack up the camp."

"How come they haven't found you yet?" I question, seriously wondering that. I've always wondered that, actually, even when playing the game. Surely it wouldn't have been hard for the geth to unlock the door.

"I honestly don't know," she admits. "When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. They gave their lives to save us."

The crazy man suddenly shudders. "No one is saved. The age of humanity is ended. Soon only ruin and corpses will remain."

All of us stare at him for moment.

Shepard turns to the woman, "What's wrong with your assistant?"

"Manuel has a brilliant mind, but he's always been a bit...unstable," she patiently explains. "Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin."

The man, Manuel, appears to be stable enough to hear her talking about him.

"Is it madness to see the future? To see the destruction rushing toward us? To understand there is no escape? No hope?" he desperately wonders aloud. "No, I am not mad. I'm the only sane one left!"

The woman grimaces, telling us, "I gave him an extra dose of his meds after the attack."

There's a brief pause before Shepard seems to come to a decision. She looks over to the crazy man.

"Say goodnight, Manuel," she murmurs, prompting me in that instant to remember with a jolt just what the renegade Commander is about to do.

"You cannot silence the truth!" Manuel starts in aggravation. "My voice must be heard-"

I don't have enough time to even think of trying to stop her as she takes a step toward him, sucker punching him and dropping him to the ground. I choke in surprise as I see it though, despite the fact that I realized what was going to happen a moment earlier.

"Oh my god!" the woman shrieks. "What did you do?"

"That might have been a little extreme, Commander," Kaidan admits, his face telling me he thinks it was more than just a little.

The woman glares at Shepard, "You can't just go around whacking people in the head!"

Shepard doesn't even blink in reply. "It was only a matter of time until he did something crazy. And dangerous."

The woman slackens under the Commander's confidence. "I suppose you're right," she sighs. "By the time he wakes up, the meds will have kicked in."

Shepard nods sharply, turning around and walking in between us toward the door of the shed. "Let's go to the spaceport."

Jenkins chuckles nervously, hurrying out after her. The rest of us follow after a stunned moment.

"Good luck, Commander," the woman says just before the shed door closes behind all of us.

As we start moving on, Ashley catches my eyes, her eyebrows raised. I shrug in response, a helpless expression on my face. Unfortunately, Shepard glances at me over her shoulder just then, inevitably catching my look.

"Something the matter, Banks?" She questions evenly, stopping.

I clear my throat, unable to stop myself from giving the stolid Commander an amused look. "Not really. That was...um, an interesting way of handling that, I guess," I say, rubbing my shoulder subconsciously.

I remember having my Shepard do the same thing on my Renegade playthrough. Punching that nut job out like that. When I was playing the game it actually made me laugh at the abruptness and absurdity of such an action, but now that I'm experiencing it like this...well, it seems kind of cruel.

Then again, I remind myself, what can I really expect?

This Shepard _i__s_ renegade, after all. And with my knowledge of the game, I know there are worse things she might do in the future if she keeps it up. Unless, of course, I can somehow change her mind or something. However, I stop my musings there - I'm getting way too ahead of myself. I need to take things one step at a time right now and make sure I actually end up on the Normandy first.

"That's the only way I do things," she answers without pausing, looking at me for an extra moment. I swear I see a hint of a smirk cross her face, but then it's gone and she's turned around, starting forward again.

Ashley mostly gives the directions to the spaceport as we continue on. I could jump in, but in the end I decide it's easier to just let her do it. Besides, then I have more time to think about how I'm going to handle what comes next. It's as we are a little ways down the path that we hear the echoing rapport of what can only be a gun being fired.

Saren has just killed Nihlus, it seems, although they don't know that yet. We rush to the top of the hill, the gigantic ship I know to be the Reaper Sovereign coming into view right on cue.

"What is that?" Kaidan says in awe as he sees it. "Off in the distance."

"That's not man-made, whatever it is," Jenkins whispers, pointing out the obvious.

Ash balks. "It's a ship!" she answers in disbelief. "Look at the size of it!"

"Something's definitely off about it," I add in. "It must be with the geth."

I look to Shepard, seeing her studying it as it moves in the sky.

"What do you think, Commander?" I finally ask, wanting to know what she thought about seeing Sovereign for the first time. I wonder if she already has a feeling about how significant that ship is. Probably not, I muse, but she'd soon find out. Much of her life is going to become shaped around stopping Sovereign and the Reapers.

"Nothing we can do about it right now," she responds, still staring at it. "Let's keep moving."

"Right."

We only move a short distance before we see the train station, as well as all the geth.

Shepard is on top of it though, assessing the situation expertly. "We'll split up. Lieutenant Alenko and I will go straight and right, while you three veer off to the left and attack them from there. Understood?"

A round of nods and we're off, sneaking forward in the hopes of getting in the best positions before we're discovered. Ashley, Jenkins, and I continue to the left as Shepard dictated, while she and Kaidan head right. That's when the gunfire suddenly starts, and I realize Shepard and Alenko must have been sighted.

"Guess it's starting," I say aloud, pulling my pistol up and over the top of the rock I'm crouched behind with Ashley and Jenkins. I quickly pop off a handful of shots as I take aim, aware of the distance but hoping for the best.

I manage to hit an explosive canister with one of my wild bullets, resulting in one dead geth, but I realize I won't do much good from all the way back where we're sitting.

Ashley pulls out her sniper rifle, setting it on top of the rock next to me. She sees me looking and raises an eyebrow as I pout. "No fair."

"Tough," she tells me, grimacing as she looks down it's sights. "Just sit pretty and I'll take care of all the bad guys for ya."

That doesn't sound too appealing to me, even if it is probably safer that way. I don't know why, but I'm itching to get back into a fight and take out some more of these robots. Once again, it feels like my body itself is conditioned to respond to such danger by running right into it and eliminating it altogether. Another thing that can be explained by my supposed mercenary background, I guess.

"Yeah, well sorry to disappoint. Not gonna happen," I shoot back, surprising myself by actually letting out a short laugh. In a freaking battle!

I shake my head, wondering what is wrong with me as I glance over to Jenkins. He still has his assault rifle out, wearily looking around the edge of the wide rock. Ash suddenly fires her shot, making the corporal jump.

I have to hold back a sigh. He's a Marine for god's sake, shouldn't he be used to that by now? I do have to admit the shot was ear shatteringly loud, but I'm just a plain old civilian and even I didn't react as extremely to it as he did.

"One down," Ashley mutters to herself, taking aim once more.

"Hey, Jenkins!" I yell over the noise of more scattered gunfire. "I'm gonna move down closer. If you're using that," pointing at his assault rifle, "you should come too! "

"Yeah, let's go," he agrees, his voice more confident than I expected.

We hastily make our way closer, ducking from cover to cover. When I judge I'm close enough to actually hit the enemy reliably, we stop. As I reveal myself from behind my chosen cover and scan the area, I find myself disappointed. Ashley, along with Shepard and Kaidan I notice out of the corner of my eye, have already thinned the enemy quite well by now, leaving only a few stragglers. Mostly more of those mindless husks.

Thinking this might be a good time to try and get my biotics working, I attempt to focus. All I know about biotic-users is that they move their arms in a certain gesture to make the desired effect happen. When I tried to biotically throw those geth earlier, I didn't make any arm movements, so I'm hoping that maybe it's going to work this time.

Jerking my arm in an upward motion, I think as intensely as I can about what I want to happen. Nothing does. I try again. Nope. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I try a different motion, this one more of a sweeping one. Still nothing. I continue trying for another few moments, flailing my arms around. I try Throw, I try Lift, I try Pull. I even try Barrier, the one biotic I did successfully before. But I can't get any of them to work!

I finally give up, knowing all I've accomplished is making myself look like a complete idiot. Good thing everyone is concentrating more on the battle than they are on me.

My eyes suddenly go wide and I duck down as one of the two remaining geth troopers randomly transitions from shooting at Shepard to splashing the area around me with bullets, evidently having been alerted to my presence. Jenkins fires back, thankfully from behind a different grouping of rocks next to the one I'm taking cover behind, and becomes the geth's new target. This frees me up to counter-attack, and I soon dispatch the hunk of metal with a couple of headshots.

"Nice one, Banks," Jenkins calls out, inadvertently drawing the attention of the last geth to him.

I shout out a warning just as the geth's head explodes, problem neutralized courtesy of Ash's sniper. Guess I shouldn't have bothered worrying.

Shepard and Alenko make their way over then, having dealt with the last of the husks.

"That wasn't too hard," I comment lightly, as Ashley joins us, having holstered her sniper and come down the hill.

"Don't get a big head," is all Shepard says, turning and walking away toward the shed that I know hides the second group of survivors.

"Says the big head," I mumble to myself as I watch her retreating back, not loud enough for her to hear me. Kaidan and Ash start after her, now on autopilot with the fight over.

Jenkins, on the other hand, is standing right beside me and apparently hears my words quite clearly. He looks at me strangely. "You should really treat the Commander with more respect."

This has me shooting him a doubtful look, though inwardly I agree with the wisdom. "Oh?" I muse faintly. "And why's that?"

His expression turns to surprise. "Don't you know who she is?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "Not really," I lie blatantly, seeing him blanch. "Never heard of her."

"Oh, wow...seriously?" he splutters out in surprise, before visibly recollecting himself. "Uh, sorry. It's just that I don't think I've ever met a human who hasn't at least heard of her name."

"Well, now you have."

Jenkins stares at me. "You really don't know of her? The Butcher of Torfan? Not to mention, she's one of the Alliance's best."

Well, that's interesting to know, I think to myself. So this Shepard is the Butcher of Torfan, eh? If I recall correctly, that's part of the Ruthless background. My thoughts pale slightly as I think more about what I'm going to be dealing with. Having a Ruthless, renegade Shepard isn't going to make my life very easy.

Distracted with this new information, I merely shake my head and remain silent as we move over to the shed that Shepard and the other two are standing in front of.

I briefly wonder if it's possible to just switch out this Shepard for a new and improved Paragon version. I look over at her, as if she'll just go poof and a new Shepard will materialize before my eyes. Yet...nothing of the sort happens. It would be so much easier if it worked that way, but of course, rationality returns and I trash that useless thought process immediately.

While Kaidan is busy overriding the shed's door lock, something distressing occurs to me. I remember this second group of survivors being actual colonists, rather than just from the research team like the woman and crazy guy were. What has me mildly anxious is the possibility that they might recognize me if they ever had anything to do with Trankala. The problem is, I won't know them, even if I should.

I'm probably just being paranoid, I soon decide. It's not like everyone living on Eden Prime is going to know me. Besides, even if they do know me, I can likely get by without much suspicion as long as I don't say anything stupid or too revealing.

Either way, I subtly keep myself standing at the back of the group as the shed door opens. Just in case.

As it turns out, the farmers don't recognize me at all. Mostly, the only thing they pay attention to is Shepard and handing over that extra pistol to her when she intimidates them, not even giving me a second glance. Seeing a crate nearby, I move over to it as Shepard continues interrogating the farmers about the smuggling ring. It isn't a big crate by any means, but it turns out to be packed full with several weapons.

A shotgun, two assault rifles, and even a sniper, its long barrel sticking out the top. There's a miniature pistol on the bottom too, I see as I dig a bit. Well, that's pretty convenient, if not a little odd. While it's definitely weird that there's just a random crate with free guns sitting in the open, I'm not complaining.

I slip my pistol into the waistband of my pants.

Pulling out the sniper first, right away I notice how bulky it seems in my hands. I feel very uncoordinated with it. Apparently using snipers isn't something I'd done much back in those mercenary days.

Setting that down, I reach for one of the assault rifles. As I position it in my hands, the feeling I get is entirely opposite what I felt with the sniper. Yes, I can use it quite easily, I realize, aiming down the sights experimentally. Maybe not as expertly as with the pistol, but I'm at the very least proficient with it. I pick up the other assault rifle, but quickly put that back down in favor of the first one. The first one feels much better.

The shotgun is also a little awkward, like the sniper was, but I figure that isn't as much of a problem as it is with a long range gun like the sniper. As long as I get close enough, and I'm not aiming in an entirely different direction, the shotgun should do its job against any enemies. It'd be nice to keep for tight spots.

"Looks like you found the jackpot," Ashley remarks as Shepard leads everyone else over to me.

"Yeah," I answer, holding the shotgun and the first assault rifle in either hand. "Too bad I don't have holsters for these like you guys."

Shepard gives me a skeptical once-over. "You sure you can use those, Banks?"

"Course," I scoff.

"If he's as comfortable with them as he is with that pistol, then I believe him," Kaidan says offhandedly, earning a nod of agreement from Jenkins.

The Commander still looks doubtful, but turns away and beckons us on anyway. Seeing that she isn't going to be any help in my predicament, I look to Ashley.

"You mind holding onto this for me until I can find some armor with holsters?" I ask her hopefully, holding the shotgun out in her direction.

She glances down at the gun and then at me for a moment. "If you can't carry it, don't take it," she says over her shoulder as she starts walking away.

Wow...thanks, Ash. Real helpful. You're such a pal. I suppose I shouldn't be too upset with her though, she did just lose her entire squad not too long ago. Of course she's not going to be all sunshine and daisies.

I sigh as I sadly drop the shotgun back into the barrel.

"Banks!" Shepard snaps, still moving ahead toward the train platform. "We're leaving you behind if you don't hurry it up!"

"Coming, Commander," I assure her quickly, hurrying to catch up. "Just grabbing the right weapon."

I mentally berate myself. This definitely isn't the way I pictured getting in Shepard's good graces like I've been wanting. The only way I'll get on her good side, I realize, is by earning her respect in combat. That's what this Ruthless, renegade Commander will appreciate.

And I only have until we find the beacon, so I have to make every second count from now on.

In no time we come upon Nihlus's body. The others all look like they are in shock.

"Let me guess," I breach the sudden silence with slightly less tact than a wrecking ball. "The Spectre you were looking for?"

"Yes, his name was Nihlus," Shepard answers, her expression troubled. "I don't know how he would have been brought down so easily."

Kaidan kneels down near the body. "Looks like he was shot in the head."

I aim my new assault rifle toward the crates I remember the smuggler guy is hiding behind. "There's someone back there," I quietly tell the others, drawing their attention (and their guns) that way.

"Wait!" A voice suddenly yells out as Powell comes out from behind the crates. "Don't - Don't shoot! I'm one of you! I'm human!"


	5. Left Behind

Disclaimer: Still don't own Mass Effect.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Left Behind

* * *

><p>"Got it!" Kaidan shouts, readying his pistol as he stands up and backs away from the disarmed bomb. "That's the last one, Commander!"<p>

"Good," Shepard answers tersely, taking out the final geth in sight with precision.

I blow out a breath, glad to have a little breather. It was pretty hectic there for awhile. After we talked to Powell the smuggler and discovered Saren's involvement in Nihlus's death, we fought our way to the cargo train controls and rode that to this platform, where we discovered the armed bombs as I knew we would. I feel it's important to note that even with the five of us, scrambling around to disarm all of those bombs before they blew up was a lot harder than it had been when I played the game. Yet, somehow we managed it. I'm just glad Kaidan finished with the last charge and that it's over.

Well, almost over. There's still the matter of the beacon. And the handful of enemies surrounding it.

"You really saved me back there, Tyler," Kaidan says gratefully. "I'd have been a goner if you hadn't seen that geth and taken him out."

"No problem," I respond lightly. "You would have done the same for me."

He nods, "Anyway, thanks."

We all made it through the battle with minimal damage, the only injury belonging to Jenkins, who was spattered with bullets at one point when he'd been a little too reckless. His shields had been fully depleted, but fortunately he was protected by his armor and would only have a dozen or so large bruises to deal with later on.

Shepard checks her gun before stepping ahead. "Let's keep moving."

As we move down the ramp, we all catch sight of the beacon.

"That must be the beacon," Shepard announces, mirroring my thoughts. She speeds up down the ramp, looking at the beacon. That's when I realize she hasn't seen the last group of enemies yet, since they're obstructed from clear view by all of the stuff around us.

"Shepard!" I bark, jumping forward and yanking her to the ground just as I hear shots fire. I pull Shepard back to cover, noting the fact that if I'd been even a split second later, an entire volley of bullets would have hit their target and the Commander might be dead. Or at least injured.

I push myself up and Shepard does the same without a glance in my direction, as the others are already returning fire. It's only a short time later that the last husk falls, outgunned by the five of us. We all make our way toward the beacon, stopping near it and looking at it as it glows.

"Normandy, the beacon is secure," Shepard reports in a monotone, hand up by her ear.

"This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology," Kaidan lets out in awe. "Unbelievable!"

Ashley is of a similar mind. "It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up."

"Something must have activated it," Kaidan mutters as he steps forward to get a closer look. Knowing what's going to happen next, I'm not surprised when the beacon suddenly starts sucking him in.

Shepard runs up and throws him back, ensnaring herself in front of the beacon instead.

I feel a lot better seeing this. This Shepard may be Renegade, but she's still a competent enough leader to protect her crew, even at her own expense. That at least gives me some hope for the future. And this is the next step - now she gets the Prothean visions that will lead to everything else.

"Commander!" Both Kaidan and Jenkins shout, attempting to rush and help her as she's lifted flailing into the air. But they're too late.

"No, don't touch her! It's too dangerous!" Ashley jumps forward to hold Kaidan back, as I simultaneously pull Jenkins away.

We all watch in suspense as Shepard remains suspended in mid-air before the beacon, for what seems like the longest minute ever. It's a small comfort that I'm able to release my grip on Jenkins as he stops struggling and relents. Then the Prothean beacon is destroyed just like that, flinging Shepard backward in some invisible backlash.

She flies over both Kaidan and Jenkins, her boot clipping the side of Jenkins head as she goes by. He's knocked to the ground and her weight brutally collides into me, also sending the two of us to the platform floor in an awkward pile. Me, being the painful cushion between Shepard and ground, takes the brunt of it. Her armor doesn't help matters either.

Thankfully, neither of us suffers any major injury, although Shepard is still unconscious. It's as I drag my bruised body up and back away, as Jenkins shakily gets to his feet, and as Ashley and Kaidan are racing over, that another gun starts firing. At me.

My neck cracks to the left as my widened eyes snap toward the source. It's another geth trooper! One last hunk of junk coming down the ramp we just descended moments ago, now pushing toward us. We must have missed it in our fixation on disarming the charges and getting to the beacon, I conclude, and now it's caught up with us.

I feel a sharp pain as a bullet grazes my side, but reflexes that aren't my own save me from fatal injury as I throw myself off to the right, landing roughly on the ground. I still can't summon up a barrier, it seems, even though I'd subconsciously done it that first time with the rocket. Crap. I make to roll further into the only piece of cover I can find, a small crate nearby.

Meanwhile, the lone geth targets the others and continues firing, steadily moving down the ramp and despite all odds withstanding the scattered counter-fire from Kaidan and Jenkins, while Ashley pulls Shepard's dead weight behind one of the large crates in front of the beacon. The geth soon reaches the bottom of the ramp, approaching my crate without hesitation, and I realize any second now it'll have a clean shot at me. Unfortunately, my assault rifle is on the floor where I dropped it to hold back Jenkins from Shepard and the beacon, so that's a no go, but luckily I still have my pist-

Panic hits as I reach to my waistband, only to find nothing there. Stricken, I look around myself frantically. And then my eyes finally catch sight of the pistol, laying innocently out in the middle of the platform.

_Shit, it must have fallen out when Shepard was hurled at me and we fell. Damn it!_

I don't have any more time to mourn the loss of both of my firearms, as the geth is upon me. It crouches into cover on the other side of the crate, however, to my surprise. With no more of its geth friends nearby, I reason, it's probably pretty stupid. Still, I'm not out of the woods yet. It's still alive and it has a gun, while I don't. And the others can't risk a shot now that I'm in the way, the revelation bludgeons me. Maybe the robot isn't that stupid after all...positioning itself like so.

Doing my best to ignore the wound on my left side, I play the only move I have left. Sliding my knife out of its leather holster on my bicep, I don't think anymore - just act. With a grunt I lunge over the crate, knocking the geth back a step and waste no time in elbowing its rifle away, before thrusting the knife up into it's neck all the way through the back of it's head. White fluid spurts out all over me, the geth shuddering before it drops limply to the ground as I rip my knife out of it.

Breathing heavily, I can tell I'm shaking. Trying to calm my speeding heart rate, I look down at the fallen geth trooper. Now it's just a pile of machine parts. With white stuff, I add to myself in disgust as I examine the gooey liquid dripping off my knife and hand.

"Captain, Shepard's down," I hear Kaidan radioing in the background. "We need a pickup ASAP!"

Regaining myself, I clean off the knife as best I can and slip it back into my arm holster. Apparently I'm not too shabby with a knife as well. I turn around to find Kaidan and Jenkins kneeling by Shepard's prone form, and Ashley looking on. I make my way over to them, scooping up the pistol and the assault rifle as I go.

"How is she?"

"I've got a pulse," Kaidan divulges softly. "Seems she's just unconscious, but she'll need to be fully examined by our doctor on the Normandy."

"Good to hear," I respond, getting a strange look from Ashley. "I mean, it could be worse, right?"

"Yes, you're right," Kaidan replies, as Ashley and Jenkins both nod. "We're lucky that explosion from the beacon wasn't any larger, otherwise the Commander may not be alive right now."

"What was that, anyway?" Ashley wonders aloud. "The beacon did something when the Commander approached it."

"And it made her float," Jenkins points out. "I don't know how or why, but it didn't look good. Too bad it's destroyed now. We'll probably never find out why it did all that."

"Definitely some crazy stuff," I agree wearily. "I wond-"

I break off abruptly as I see something move out of the corner of my eye. Something black. I pivot right, whipping my assault rifle in that direction. Only to halt at the sight greeting me, and lower my weapon slightly.

"Tyler?" Ashley questions, drawing the attention of Kaidan and Jenkins. "What's wrong?"

Black fur. Four legs. White spots. No...but how?

"Jax?" I whisper in confusion, my jaw dropping at the pitbull sitting not far away with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Sorry, what was that?" Kaidan says, as I look back at them. They're surveying me cautiously. Worriedly. "What are you staring at, Tyler?"

Huh? What are they talking about? Surely they must notice the large animal right there.

I blink a few times and turn away from them, pointing at where Jax is. "You don't see that dog there?"

My best pal darts behind some containers as I say that, and I return my perplexed gaze to them, certain they must have seen him now. But all three of them just have puzzled expressions on their faces.

"Uh...are you sure?" Jenkins remarks doubtfully.

I shake myself and blink some more, not able to understand why they didn't see him.

"He was sitting right over there," I explain, before moving over to the container I saw him go behind. "And he just ran over behind here..."

I trail off as I reach the container and glance on the other side of it, but there's nothing there except a wall. I...what? Where could he have gone? I would have seen him if he moved away from the container. Somehow...he's disappeared.

"Everything alright, Tyler?" I hear Ashley's voice, though its a bit warbled.

I swivel around, glimpsing Ashley and Jenkins stepping toward me slowly as Kaidan remains kneeling by Shepard. I can see him observing everything with concern. All of a sudden, I'm not feeling so hot. Really...light-headed.

"Are you okay?" Jenkins asks as he approaches, his words even more distorted than Ashley's were. "You don't look so good."

My head begins to slouch, and it feels like I'm really drowsy, but I shake myself back awake. What the hell is happening to me, I wonder, not sure if I'm saying it out loud or just thinking it.

"That wound on his side," I pick up Kaidan's faint voice, as the world stirs and launches into a spin. "He's losing a lot of blood."

Maybe that's...

"Yeah," I mutter, stumbling a bit in their direction. "I don't feel so gr-"

And then everything goes dark.

* * *

><p>I come to, slowly.<p>

Shepard, the beacon, being injured by the last geth, and seeing Jax all flashes back to me. Or thinking I saw Jax, anyway. Then I must have collapsed. The details are a bit fuzzy though. A groan escapes me as I groggily open my eyes, hearing some shuffling noises. The bleariness thankfully begins to fade away, enough that I'm able to push myself up into a sitting position on the bed I'm in.

Looking around, I find I'm in a very familiar place. It's pretty much impossible not to recognize it, especially now that I know I'm really in the Mass Effect universe. It's the Normandy's infirmary. Seems I made it aboard, that's a good sign. The others must have brought me along. Of course they wouldn't just leave me out there unconscious.

Kaidan's there, just like he would be in the game while waiting for a female Shepard to wake up. It had always been Ashley waiting for me when I played, because my Shephard had always been male, but I'd read that it was this way for those that chose fem-Shep.

The lieutenant pushes off the wall he's leaning against as he sees me sitting up, and moves over to me.

"Tyler's awake," he announces to Dr. Chakwas, whom I notice is working at her desk. She rises from her chair, stepping toward me as well.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Banks?" She greets on approach, giving me a friendly smile.

I feel fine, I realize. I look down at my side to find it bandaged up pretty heavily, and a smaller patch up on my shoulder where I was hit saving Jenkins, but there's no pain anywhere. "Surprisingly good. Um...what happened exactly?"

"You took a hit from that geth," Kaidan answers, drawing my curious gaze. "Lost enough blood to make you faint."

"Oh, right. I remember that."

"Your wound is what I like to call a 'gusher,'" Dr. Chakwas says wryly. "Doesn't look bad, doesn't hit anything important, but spills more blood than is recommended."

I snort, but sober as I remember seeing Jax. There's no way that he could have really been here though, and the others clearly didn't see him.

"Erm," I begin uncertainly. "Can that cause hallucinations?"

"Hallucinations?" Dr. Chakwas repeats to herself. "Sure, it's possible to experience them if the blood loss is severe enough. Why, did you have one?"

"Yeah, at least I think so," I tell her. "I saw...well, I thought I saw an old pet that couldn't have been there."

"Ah," Kaidan comments, eyes alighting in understanding. "That's what you were mumbling about before you dropped. We heard you saying something about a dog and 'axe' or something like that. Was that its name?"

"His name was Jax, but close enough," I say softly. "Surprised you even heard that much, I imagine I must have been slurring my words pretty bad."

"Yeah, you were, but we could still make out most of it," Kaidan fills me in with a smile.

"A childhood pet, I suspect?" Dr. Chakwas sends me a sad look. "Those are always hard to forget. It's pretty common for things like that to show up in hallucinations, so I wouldn't worry about it. You're not going crazy."

I let out a breath. If only they knew what I was going through right now...they might not be so certain. "Well, I guess that's something at least. Good to know."

Kaidan glances at me with amusement written on his face. "Trust me, I've been there. Just remember to apply medi-gel and get your wound sealed up sooner next time, so that you don't lose so much blood."

Dr. Chakwas instantly agrees. "Some excellent advice there."

I flush slightly, "Right, will do."

Kaidan eyes shift to the bed on my left, where I see Shepard sleeping. Still knocked out, it seems. A hint of worry crosses Kaidan's face for a moment, barely enough for me to catch. That's right, he's likely feeling a bit guilty that the Commander is like this because she had to save him.

"How long was I out?" I ask them.

"About twelve hours," Dr. Chakwas tells me, which has me raising my brow in shock. That long? "I gather with the amount of blood you lost and the overall fatigue from surviving the attack on Eden Prime, your body no doubt needed all the rest it could get."

I accept the explanation with a shrug, I suppose that makes sense. And if I was out that long, that means Shepard would be waking up in another few hours at most.

Dr. Chakwas gives me a reassuring smile. "You should be fine - good as new in no time. Once we treated the wound and got it bandaged, it wasn't bad at all."

"Great," I respond with a grateful look. "Thanks, doc."

"Of course," she nods. "I'll just go notify the Captain that you're awake, as he asked me to."

"Okay," I say agreeably as she exits the infirmary, the door sliding closed behind her. I find myself wondering if I'm going to be offered a seat on the Normandy. Why else would Captain Anderson want to know when I was conscious again?

Kaidan's attention returns to me.

"You were pretty good back there, Tyler," he praises with a slight smile. "Especially taking out that final geth with your knife, that was hardcore."

I let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Thanks. Didn't have either of my guns, so I had to resort to that. Can't say I enjoyed it though," I reply, recalling being covered in all that white geth juice. "A bit too messy, really."

He grins, "Won't argue with you there. I prefer not getting covered in my enemies insides too."

I return the grin with one of my own. Speaking of that white liquid mess, I glance down at my body only to see I've been changed into a simple pair of black pants. They must have dressed me while I was out, I realize. At least the pants are clean. I'm still naked from the waist up, but I notice a blue shirt hanging nearby. For me to wear, maybe?

"You can put that shirt on if you want," Kaidan confirms as he sees where my eyes are focused. "Dr. Chakwas only took it off a little while ago to change your bandages, but I guess she never got around to fitting it back on you."

"Oh, alright," I say as I stand up and make to do just that. Pulling the shirt over my head, we rest into an easygoing silence.

Once the shirt is snug, I lean back on the side of my bed and look over to Shepard's bed. It occurs to me that this is the first time I've seen her not in her armor. She's just in a jumpsuit now, with no helmet either. I step closer to her bed, examining her face. I can see Kaidan watching me in my peripheral vision, but I don't care, taking in her features quietly.

Shepard's skin isn't what I'd describe as tan, but at the same time it's not pale. Somewhere in between, really. Her hair is jet-black, pulled back into a tight ponytail. And I know she's got those sharp green eyes behind her closed eyelids. Her expression is unguarded now that she's lights out, and softer, which is quite the contrast to the scowling I kept seeing through her helmet visor when she was awake.

"She's not as intimidating without her armor on," I eventually say aloud, returning to my own bedside with a glance at Kaidan.

He smiles briefly, "I don't know, I'd say it probably has more to do with the fact that she's unconscious."

I tilt my head in consideration, "That too, I suppose."

We both look to the door as it slides open, Dr. Chakwas striding in with Captain Anderson. Kaidan quickly stands at attention.

"Thank you for coming to get me, Karin," Captain Anderson says as they enter. "We'll get your telecom unit working again as soon as we are able."

"No problem, Captain," Dr. Chakwas smiles, moving over to her desk.

"At ease, Lieutenant."

Kaidan relaxes and nods, clearing his throat. "I'll just head out here for a minute."

Anderson holds out a hand as he nears. "Mr. Banks, I presume?"

I shake the offered hand quickly, a bit nervous at meeting the man. "Yeah, that's me. You must be Captain Anderson then?"

He dips his head, breaking out in a comforting smile. "You've got it."

"Nice to meet you."

"And you as well, young man," Anderson politely responds. "You're probably wondering what this is about."

"Yeah, a little," I admit sheepishly.

"Yes, I thought so, as would anyone that suddenly wakes up on a military frigate. First things first, I would like to personally thank you on behalf of the Systems Alliance Navy, as well as the Normandy crew. Your assistance in retrieving the beacon, despite the final outcome of its destruction, is certainly well-appreciated."

"Uh, sure. Glad to be of help."

Anderson turns somber. "I also wish to express my deepest condolences for the attack of Eden Prime. It is my understanding that you live here? I am very sorry, this must be a hard time for you."

I nod, "Thank you, sir. I don't think everything has even really sunk in yet."

"Of course, I expect it's quite the shock," Anderson gives me a sympathetic look. "It's good to see you're healing from your injuries well, however."

"Yeah. I think I have Dr. Chakwas over there to thank for that."

Captain Anderson follows my gaze, agreeing. "Yes, she is one of the best at what she does. I'd trust the health of myself and my crew to no one else."

The doctor glances up from her work, smiling at us as she sees us looking in her direction, before returning to it.

"Now, on to other things," Anderson moves on, turning more serious. "There's some legal matters we have to get through, unfortunately."

"Oh, alright," I say neutrally. I'm not entirely sure what he means by 'legal matters.' Maybe inviting me to stay on the Normandy?

"As a civilian, you were privy to some sensitive information regarding the Prothean beacon and its purpose. Because of this, I'm going to have to ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement," putting up a hand as he sees me open my mouth. "Now, I trust you won't go around revealing everything you've witnessed, as you seem like a fine person, but it's simply Alliance policy."

My good spirits begin taking a nose dive as he finishes. This doesn't exactly sound like it's going to lead to an invitation to join. What do I do if he doesn't let me come along, I idly wonder. Doubt creeps into my thoughts.

At my dumbfounded expression, Anderson continues speaking, tone apologetic. "I'm afraid there's no getting around it. Believe me, I'm no fan of these formalities, but before you leave this vessel I'll need that signature from you."

"Leave?" I echo faintly, focus turning inward. So he's not here to give me a spot aboard the Normandy at all, just to make me sign something that says I won't talk about what I saw. But...no. I have to get on with them! My knowledge won't do any good if I'm not traveling with Shepard and the Normandy!

Yet it's not as if I can just tell them I know what will happen in the future. They'd think I was crazy, and I'd be stuffed into a psych ward by the end of the day. No, that was definitely not an option, no matter how desperate I become. I need to convince him that I can be useful in some other way, just like I did with Shepard after running into them. I can do it, I just know it!

Somehow, I manage to keep from hyperventilating at this unpleasant turn of events, looking into the face of the Captain. "Uh, well actually, Captain, I'd love to join you if you'll let me. After what Saren and the geth did to Eden Prime, I want to help. I think you could use me if you allow me to come with you."

Captain Anderson looks very surprised at this, but then his expression turns regretful to my immense disappointment. "You heard of my offer to transfer Gunnery Chief Williams, I see."

I hesitate at his expectant look, before nodding affirmatively. Best to just go along with his assumption, I think to myself.

"I'm sorry, but it's just not possible," the Captain states, releasing a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, Mr. Banks. It's nothing to do with you personally. The Normandy is an Alliance military vessel, and you are a colonist. We can't just pick up civilians whenever and wherever we want, it doesn't work like that. Chief Williams is with the Alliance already, so transferring her to my crew was very easy."

"But that won't work in my case," I finish for him, utterly crestfallen. All of this knowledge...it's just useless then? If I can't get on the Normandy, how will it be able to help them at all? Yeah, it won't. And it won't help me either. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Peering at the obvious disappointment on my face, Captain Anderson puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'd secure your presence in a heartbeat if you had any sort of Alliance credentials, know that. Lieutenant Alenko, Corporal Jenkins, and Chief Williams have all reported to me how helpful you were in fighting the geth. And I'm sure the Commander will agree when she wakes up, so I assure you it's not a matter of your skills either. Those speak for themselves after what you did."

His words make sense, they do, but it's nowhere close to what I want to hear. And...and what else I can say? There's nothing that's going to change his mind, I realize. His hands are tied, as he told me.

I finally give him a short nod, throat tight.

"R-right. I understand, sir. I can sign whatever you need."

This hasn't gone at all like it should have. I needed to be welcomed onto the Normandy, not rejected. And now...what now? The sinking feeling gets worse.

"Thank you," Captain Anderson says, presenting me with a data pad, the non-disclosure already brought up on-screen.

I shakily sign the pad and give it back, earning a nod from him. He rotates around and takes a step toward the door, but stops, turning back to me.

"Did you have any family here?" He asks curiously, the unspoken question of their survival showing in his eyes.

This brings my thoughts to Robby, the younger brother. I haven't thought of him since I woke up, I realize with a start. There's a chance he might still be alive, and if he is, he probably thinks I'm dead after that rocket explosion. I can try to find him, I suppose. Since I'm not allowed to join the Normandy, I really don't have anywhere else to go.

That thought is so crippling that I have to take a moment to shove it down, before I answer.

"Yeah, I did," I grimace, not so much for the loss of loved ones that aren't truly mine, but more as a result of my inner musings. "Parents died in the attack, but my brother might still be alive. We got separated, so I don't know."

There's a pause before I realize my error. Why did I tell him that? Damn it, now he's probably wondering why I wanted join them in the first place, without even knowing the fate of my supposed kin! The captain is definitely going to be suspicious if I don't explain myself.

I hastily continue. "Wow, I should be figuring out what happened to him, not trying to join you guys. I'm sorry, sir, I have no idea what I was thinking," I ramble a bit, trying to cover for my slip. "Guess I got caught up in everything."

Fortunately, Anderson agrees with a nod, seemingly accepting my flimsy excuse. I thank my lucky stars I got out of that one.

"Yes, I bet he's worried about you." _If__ he's alive._

I fill in what he doesn't say. He's probably thinking it, I don't doubt. A man in his position has seen a lot, he'd have to think realistically if he's survived as a captain for as long as he has.

"You may want to know this then," Anderson informs me, holding my gaze. "A couple hours ago I received word that global aid agencies already have crews on the ground, coordinating cleanup efforts and gathering survivors. Your brother will likely be at one of their stations if he made it through okay," the captain informs me. "All of the stations will have record if he's checked in at any of the camps, and they should be able to tell you where he's at."

"Alright," I reply dully, before regaining myself. Keep it together, man! "Thank you. I better go then."

"Of course," Anderson gestures for me to follow him, and we leave through the sliding door after I thank Dr. Chakwas again for patching me up.

Kaidan is loitering outside the door like he told us he would be, along with Jenkins. I survey the interior of the Normandy intently, my first time seeing it except for the infirmary. It's quite spectacular, I have to say. The game's graphics didn't do it justice.

_Shame this will be the last time I see it._

The depressing thought leaves me feeling the worst I've felt since realizing I've been ripped away from my normal life, along with everyone I knew, and thrown into the Mass Effect universe.

Anderson's voice pulls me out of my daze. "I'll have the lieutenant and corporal here escort you off the ship. Did you want them to accompany you to the nearest aid station? It's no problem, it's only a short distance away."

"No, that won't be needed," I shake my head. "Thanks though. I'll be alright."

"Very well," Anderson nods, and we shake hands again. "I wish you luck, Tyler."

"Thanks again, Captain. Give Shepard my regards."

Anderson sends the Kaidan and Jenkins a look. "See Mr. Banks on his way, you two. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Will do, Captain."

Captain Anderson walks away, and I look between Kaidan and Jenkins. As we start moving, I see Ashley standing by the lockers. She looks up on our approach, curious. I snap her a mock two-fingered salute, to which she raises an amused eyebrow and nods back. Guess that'll have to do for a goodbye then.

"It's too bad you're leaving, Tyler," Jenkins says. I'm only half-listening as we pass the Gunnery Chief and step into the tunnel with all of the flight personnel. "But I understand you wanting to get back to your town to check on everything."

We continue down the central aisle leading to Joker's chair, as well as the airlock.

"Of course he wants to check back on everything," Kaidan finally answers for me, blinking as something occurs to him. "Say, Tyler, did you have any family here? You never told us before."

I remain silent after he unknowingly asks the same question Anderson did not even two minutes ago.

Kaidan appears to notice my reticence, and his eyes widen as he hurriedly backtracks. "Oh. Oh, forget it, you don't have to answer th-"

"No, you're fine," I stop him quickly, giving him a small smile. As we step into the airlock, I decide to tell them the little that I do know about my history. It's not as if I have anything to lose anyway, now that I'm leaving the ship. "I told you I was a merc for a bit, right? Well, after I left that I came back home to Eden Prime and I've been living with my parents ever since. So yeah, my whole family was here."

Jenkins sucks in a breath. "Are they...you know? Did they make it?"

Kaidan shoots him a quieting glare, "Seriously, Corporal?"

Jenkins instantly looks contrite. "Yikes. Sorry, Tyler. Don't mind me - I say stuff without thinking sometimes."

I roll my eyes in exasperation as we exit and descend the landing stairs. "Really, guys. Don't worry about that, you don't have to walk on eggshells around me. Being blunt is good in my book."

We stop as we step onto the ground. It seems Joker put the Normandy down in some out of the way field, which means I've got a bit of a walk ahead of me.

"But no, they didn't all make it," I reveal. Their faces fall at the news, no doubt ready to express their condolences for my loss and whatnot. "I've got a brother who might still be kicking around here somewhere though. I'm gonna go check in at one of the aid stations to see if he survived."

"Sorry to hear that," Kaidan tells me, the sentiment repeated by Jenkins.

"Yeah, thanks," I respond distractedly, looking out across the field we're in. "Um, you don't happen to know what direction the nearest aid camp is, do you? I forgot to ask Captain Anderson."

Kaidan gives me a nod, looking down at his omni-tool before pointing in the distance. "Yeah, according to this it's just northwest of here. Are you sure you don't want us to walk with you there?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'll be okay on my o-"

"Tyler!" A voice shouts from inside. Ashley's, I realize. This is confirmed as she emerges from the Normandy, moving down the steps. "Don't forget these."

As she reaches us at the bottom, she hands me my pistol, my knife and its holster, and the assault rifle I'd found in that crate. Oh, wow. I completely forgot about those. I grin at her as I stuff the pistol in the waistband of my new pants and return the knife holster to its rightful place strapped on my left bicep, before finally taking the assault rifle.

"Thanks, Ash."

She shrugs nonchalantly. "Nobody should leave their guns behind if they can help it."

"Right. Still, glad I didn't forget these."

We all stand there for a moment, me looking at each of them. Sadness flushes through me...I feel like I really could have found a place with them. Already it feels tough to leave, and we only fought together once. Makes me wonder what it would have been like after fighting countless battles with them. Guess I'll never find out now.

I finally gulp, and send them a quick nod.

"Take care, you guys," I say my farewell, swiveling around and starting to walk in the direction Kaidan pointed in, due northwest, before I can stall any longer.

"You too, Tye."

_Thanks, Kaidan. You're a good guy, I imagine we could have had a real bromance going on in time. Oh well._

"Good luck, hope you find your brother."

_Me too, Jenkins. Me too. Even if Robby isn't really my bro. Because let's face it, who else do I have in this world?_

"Later."

_Heartwarming goodbye, Ash. Really. Thanks a lot. Sorry about your squad, but chin up - at least you haven't lost everyone in your universe like I have. 'Later' back at ya._

I force myself not to look back at them, to just continue treading away from the Normandy and its crew. I'm pretty successful for a bit, but as I hear the thundering noise of the stealth frigate lifting off the ground, my resolve crumbles and I turn around. Numbly, I watch the magnificent spaceship ascend, passively marking it as it gets further and further away.

It's over. I'm not here one day and already I've failed. Pathetic. What the hell is wrong with me? My grip loosens around the assault rifle in my hands, and it falls, clattering in the patch of dirt at my feet. I can't even muster up enough effort to care. The Normandy is just a speck of light now, moving across the clear blue canvas that is the sky. My eyes rigidly follow its path, unable to look away from what could have been. If only I'd been more convincing. If only...

Finally, I drop to my knees in despair as I lose sight of the speck, and the SSV Normandy completely disappears.


End file.
